Quick reference
Comparison Symbols Chart
Use this table to distinguish exact equality, approximation, inequality, and ordered comparisons.
≈Almost Equal To
U+2248π ≈ 3.14Code reference
Copy ≈ in the format you need
Unicode
U+2248HTML decimal
≈HTML hexadecimal
≈HTML named
≈CSS
\2248JavaScript
\u2248LaTeX
\approxCharacter names and code points checked against The Unicode Consortium. Last verified 2026-08-12.
01
Equality and approximation
= is exact, ≠ rejects exact equality, and ≈ describes closeness within a context-dependent tolerance.
02
Ordered comparisons
≤ and ≥ include equality. The plain < and > symbols exclude equality.
Visual comparison
Similar and related symbols
| Symbol | Unicode name | Meaning | LaTeX |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≈ | Almost Equal ToU+2248 | The two values are close enough for the current context, but not necessarily identical. | \approx |
| ~ | TildeU+007E | Meaning varies by field; it can indicate similarity, distribution, proportionality, or an informal approximation. | \sim |
| ≃ | Asymptotically Equal ToU+2243 | Often used for asymptotic or approximate equivalence, depending on the mathematical convention. | \simeq |
| ≅ | Approximately Equal ToU+2245 | Commonly denotes congruence or isomorphism; in some contexts it also signals approximate equality. | \cong |
| ≉ | Not Almost Equal ToU+2249 | The values are not approximately equal under the stated tolerance or convention. | \not\approx |
| = | Equals SignU+003D | The expressions represent the same value. | = |
| ≠ | Not Equal ToU+2260 | The expressions do not represent the same value. | \ne |
| ≥ | Greater-Than or Equal ToU+2265 | The value on the left is greater than or equal to the value on the right. | \ge |
| ≤ | Less-Than or Equal ToU+2264 | The value on the left is less than or equal to the value on the right. | \le |
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