# \moveleft

Low-level TeX box-positioning syntax for shifting the next math item or box horizontally by a specified dimension.

https://texform.dev/latex/commands/moveleft

## Metadata

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Topic | [Layout and breaks](https://texform.dev/latex/topics/layout) |
| Packages | base |
| Allowed mode | math |
| Tags | spacing, discouraged |
| Commonality | low |
| Kind | prefix |

## Syntax

### base

Argument specification: `m:L m`

Low-level TeX box-positioning syntax for shifting the next math item or box horizontally by a specified dimension.

## Examples

```latex
\moveleft 1em x
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%5Cmoveleft+1em+x)

```latex
\moveleft{1em}x
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%5Cmoveleft%7B1em%7Dx)

## Renderer support

| Package | MathJax | KaTeX | XeTeX |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| base | full | none | none |

## In TeXForm

TeXForm parses this entry as prefix syntax; the package determines its argument specification.

### Discouraged in base

\moveleft is a TeX primitive box operation, not a standard LaTeX math-mode command. MathJax approximates it but it can cause unexpected spacing.

```latex
\hspace{-$1}$2
```

\hspace provides direct spacing control and is standard LaTeX, whereas \moveleft is a TeX primitive meant to operate on boxes which MathJax merely approximates by wrapping its argument in negative mspace.

## See also

- [\\moveright](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/moveright)

## Test cases

### base

| Input | Case | MathJax | KaTeX | XeTeX |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| \moveleft{1pt}{b} | Positive: baseline | Pass | Fail | Fail |
| \moveleft 1pt{b} | Positive: bare[0] | Pass | Fail | Fail |
| \moveleft{1pt}b | Positive: bare[1] | Pass | Fail | Fail |
| \moveleft{a}{a} | Negative: neg:L[0] | Fail | Fail | Fail |