\smash - LaTeX layout command

\smash{x}

Renderer support

Package	MathJax	KaTeX	XeTeX
`base`	MathJax: Full	KaTeX: Full	XeTeX: Full
`textmacros`	MathJax: Full	KaTeX: Full	XeTeX: Full

Syntax#

\smashO{}:N[\cs]optional control sequencem{a}math content

Argspec O{}:N m — one optional and one mandatory argument. In base. Reading argspecs

\smashO{}:N[\cs]optional control sequencem:T{a}text content

Argspec O{}:N m:T — one optional and one mandatory argument. In textmacros. Reading argspecs

base

\smash[t]{x}

base

\smash[b]{x}

textmacros

\text{\smash{a}}

textmacros

\text{\smash[t]{a}}

textmacros

\text{\smash[b]{a}}

Package	Signature	Allowed mode	Notes
`base`	`O{}:N m`	math	Used to suppress an expression’s height and/or depth so it does not affect surrounding layout, such as line spacing or delimiter sizing.
`textmacros`	`O{}:N m:T`	text	Used to typeset content while suppressing its recorded height/depth, often to prevent tall or deep material from affecting line spacing or box measurements in text.

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

`base`
Input	Case	MathJax	KaTeX	XeTeX
`\smash{a}`	Positive · baseline	Pass	Pass	Pass
`\smash[a]{b}`	Positive · vary:o[0]	Pass	Pass	Pass
`\smash a`	Positive · bare[1]	Pass	Pass	Pass
`\smash[\alpha]{a}`	Negative · neg:N[0]	Pass	Pass	Pass

`textmacros`
Input	Case	MathJax	KaTeX	XeTeX
`\smash{a}`	Positive · baseline	Pass	Pass	Pass
`\smash[a]{b}`	Positive · vary:o[0]	Pass	Pass	Pass
`\smash a`	Positive · bare[1]	Pass	Pass	Pass
`\smash[\alpha]{a}`	Negative · neg:N[0]	Pass	Fail	Fail
`\smash{a^2}`	Negative · neg:T[1]	Fail	Fail	Fail