Yes, there is a real difference between a hyphen vs. dash. And here's how these tiny marks can make a big difference in your writing.

the dash [which i write as space, hyphen-hyphen, space ], is a SEPARATOR. normally it is used pretty much to separate off a phrase -- sometimes in pairs, sorta substituting for parentheses.

As its name suggests, an em dash (—) is roughly the length of the letter M, while an en dash (–) more closely matches an N. A hyphen (-) is shorter still.

Keyboard shortcuts: How to make a dash To make a dash on the keyboard, you use the key to the right of the zero, like you do for a hyphen, but it’s a little more complicated. Option-shift-hyphen ...

The use of hyphens is a vexatious matter even for experienced writers, so perhaps I can clarify some points. The first one: Stop calling it a dash, dammit. This is a hyphen: – This is a […] ...

An en dash is roughly the same width as the capital letter N. Compare that to an em dash, which is about as wide as (you guessed it) an M. They’re both wider than a hyphen — the shrimp of the ...

• Create en dashes by striking the hyphen key either once or twice — it doesn't matter which — with once space before and after (xx – xx), and then go back and delete the spaces (xx–xx).