What is the purpose of the <em> tag?

The tag is used to italicize text within HTML. This tag is often employed to emphasize a word or phrase, highlighting its importance or conveying a specific tone. When rendered in a web browser, text wrapped in the tag appears in italics.

Using the tag also carries semantic significance, as it indicates to search engines and assistive technologies that the text has a particular emphasis, which can improve accessibility. This differs from simply changing the text's visual appearance, as the tag conveys meaning beyond styling.