How to Make Text Bold in LaTeX
To make text bold in LaTeX, wrap it in \textbf{...}, for example \textbf{important}. For italics use \textit{...}, for underline \underline{...}, and for monospace \texttt{...}. These commands work inline anywhere in normal text.
Example
This is \textbf{bold}, this is \textit{italic},
this is \underline{underlined}, and
this is \texttt{monospaced}.
% Bold + italic together:
\textbf{\textit{both}}Frequently asked questions
How do I make a whole paragraph bold?
Use \bfseries inside a group: {\bfseries your paragraph here}. \textbf{} is best for short inline spans.
How do I bold text in a math equation?
Use \mathbf{x} for upright bold symbols, or \boldsymbol{\alpha} (from amsmath/amsbsy) for bold italic math symbols.
Why does \bf not work?
\bf is an obsolete plain-TeX command removed from modern classes. Use \textbf{...} for inline text or \bfseries for a group — they also combine correctly with italics.
How do I emphasize without bold?
\emph{...} is the semantic choice: it italicizes in normal text and flips back to upright inside already-italic text. Reserve \textbf for strong emphasis.
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