Symbol comparison

Approximately Symbol vs Tilde

≈ explicitly states approximate equality. ~ is broader and its meaning depends more heavily on the field and notation.

≈Almost Equal ToU+2248π ≈ 3.14

Code reference

Copy ≈ in the format you need

UnicodeU+2248

HTML decimal≈

HTML hexadecimal≈

HTML named≈

CSS\2248

JavaScript\u2248

LaTeX\approx

Character names and code points checked against The Unicode Consortium. Last verified 2026-08-12.

A familiar example is π ≈ 3.14. The relationship is numerical and approximate, not exact.

In statistics, probability, asymptotics, and informal writing, ~ can mean different things. State or follow the convention used by your field.

Visual comparison

Symbol	Unicode name	Meaning	LaTeX
≈	Almost Equal To`U+2248`	The two values are close enough for the current context, but not necessarily identical.	`\approx`
~	Tilde`U+007E`	Meaning varies by field; it can indicate similarity, distribution, proportionality, or an informal approximation.	`\sim`
≃	Asymptotically Equal To`U+2243`	Often used for asymptotic or approximate equivalence, depending on the mathematical convention.	`\simeq`
≅	Approximately Equal To`U+2245`	Commonly denotes congruence or isomorphism; in some contexts it also signals approximate equality.	`\cong`
≉	Not Almost Equal To`U+2249`	The values are not approximately equal under the stated tolerance or convention.	`\not\approx`
=	Equals Sign`U+003D`	The expressions represent the same value.	`=`
≠	Not Equal To`U+2260`	The expressions do not represent the same value.	`\ne`
≥	Greater-Than or Equal To`U+2265`	The value on the left is greater than or equal to the value on the right.	`\ge`
≤	Less-Than or Equal To`U+2264`	The value on the left is less than or equal to the value on the right.	`\le`

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