PHP wordwrap Function: Syntax, Parameters, Return Value, and Practical Examples

This article introduces PHP’s built‑in wordwrap() function, which breaks a string into chunks of a specified width.

Syntax:

string wordwrap ( string $str , int $width = 75 , string $break = "
" , bool $cut = false )

.

The function splits the input string into lines of length $width. The optional $break string is inserted at each break point. If $cut is true, words longer than $width are split; otherwise they remain intact.

Parameters: $str – the input string. $width – the desired line width. $break – the string to insert at each break (default "\n"). $cut – boolean that determines whether long words are cut (true) or kept whole (false).

Return value: the wrapped string.

Example 1 – basic usage (width 20, break " \n"):

<?php
$text = "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.";
$newtext = wordwrap($text, 20, "<br />
");
echo $newtext;
?>

Output:

The quick brown fox<br />
jumped over the lazy<br />
dog.

Example 2 – force splitting of long words (cut = true):

<?php
$text = "A very long woooooooooooord.";
$newtext = wordwrap($text, 8, "
", true);
echo $newtext;
?>

Output:

A very
long
wooooooo
oord.

Example 3 – keep long words intact (cut = false):

<?php
$text = "A very long wooooooooooooooooord. and something";
$newtext = wordwrap($text, 8, "
", false);
echo $newtext;
?>

Output:

A very
long
woooooooooooooooooord. and
something