# kerning

CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/kerning
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Definition

the process of adjusting the space between two specific letters in a piece of text. You do this to make the words look balanced and easier to read.

For teachers: the adjustment of the horizontal space between individual letter pairs in a typeface. Typically used to correct visually uneven gaps between specific character combinations like 'VA' or 'Te'.

## Examples

- The bad kerning makes the letters look too close together.
- After choosing the font for the logo, the designer spent an hour fine-tuning the kerning to ensure the brand name looked professional.
- While tracking adjusts the spacing across an entire block of text, kerning focuses on the relationship between specific pairs to achieve a harmonious typographic rhythm.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The kerning between all the words is too wide." but "The tracking between all the words is too wide." — Learners often confuse 'kerning' (space between individual letters) with 'tracking' (uniform spacing across a range of characters) or 'word spacing'.

## Usage notes

- Often used as a gerund noun in design and typography contexts.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.