How to Create Blockquotes in Markdown
Create a blockquote by starting a line with a greater-than sign and a space: > quoted text. Every consecutive line starting with > joins the same quote, and renderers display it with an indented left border.
Platform Support
Blockquotes hold any other Markdown: headings, lists, code blocks, even tables, all prefixed with > on each line. A multi-paragraph quote needs a > on the blank line between paragraphs — > text, then a line containing just >, then > more text. If you leave the separator line completely empty, the parser sees two separate one-paragraph blockquotes, which render with a visible gap between their borders.
CommonMark also allows "lazy continuation": a plain line directly under a > line is absorbed into the quote without its own marker. This is convenient when pasting long quoted text, but it cuts both ways — a paragraph you wrote underneath a quote, with no blank line separating them, will be sucked into the quote. Always leave a blank line after a blockquote before resuming normal text.
Nesting uses stacked markers: >> for a quote within a quote, >>> for a third level. This mirrors email reply chains and is genuinely useful when quoting a conversation — each >> level is one reply deeper. To return to a shallower level mid-quote, drop back to fewer markers after a > separator line.
On GitHub and Obsidian, blockquotes power callouts (also called admonitions or alerts): start the quote with a marker line like > [!NOTE] or > [!WARNING] and the platform renders a colored, icon-labeled box. GitHub supports NOTE, TIP, IMPORTANT, WARNING, and CAUTION; Obsidian supports a much longer list with custom styling. On platforms without callout support the same text degrades gracefully to a normal blockquote with a visible [!NOTE] tag, so it is safe to use in documents that travel.
Examples
> This is a blockquote.
> It can span multiple lines.This is a blockquote.
It can span multiple lines.
Create a blockquote using the > character.
> Outer quote
>> Nested quote
>>> Even more nestedOuter quote
Nested quote
Even more nested
Nest blockquotes using multiple > characters.
> First paragraph of the quote.
>
> Second paragraph, still inside the same quote.First paragraph of the quote.
Second paragraph, still inside the same quote.
The lone > on the middle line keeps both paragraphs in one blockquote.
> [!WARNING]
> This action permanently deletes the branch.WARNING
This action permanently deletes the branch.
Renders as a colored warning box on GitHub; degrades to a normal quote elsewhere.
> The best way to predict the future is to invent it.
>
> — Alan KayThe best way to predict the future is to invent it.
— Alan Kay
Common Mistakes
> Paragraph one
> Paragraph two (blank line between)> Paragraph one
>
> Paragraph twoA completely blank line splits the quote into two separate blockquotes. Put a > on the separator line to keep one continuous quote.
> A quote
My own commentary right below it> A quote
My own commentary after a blank lineLazy continuation pulls the unmarked line into the quote. Leave a blank line after the blockquote before writing normal text.
Platform Notes
GitHub
Full support including nesting and five alert types ([!NOTE], [!TIP], [!IMPORTANT], [!WARNING], [!CAUTION]) that render as colored callout boxes.
Discord
> quotes a single line; >>> (followed by a space) quotes everything to the end of the message. Nested quotes are not supported.
Obsidian
Supports quotes, nesting, and a rich callout system (> [!note], > [!tip], foldable callouts with > [!faq]- syntax, custom types via CSS).
Slack
Type > at the start of a line for a quote, but Slack converts it to rich text immediately; multi-line Markdown quotes do not paste cleanly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make a blockquote in Markdown?
Start the line with a greater-than sign and a space: > your quoted text. Consecutive > lines merge into one quote block.
How do I write a blockquote with multiple paragraphs?
Prefix every line with >, including the blank line between paragraphs (a line containing just >). A fully blank line would split it into two separate quotes.
How do I nest a quote inside a quote?
Stack the markers: >> for the second level, >>> for the third. Each extra > goes one level deeper, like an email reply chain.
What are callouts or admonitions?
Special blockquotes starting with a type marker like > [!NOTE] or > [!WARNING]. GitHub and Obsidian render them as colored boxes with icons; other platforms show them as plain quotes.
Why does my text after a quote get included in the quote?
Lazy continuation: lines directly below a > line join the quote even without a marker. Insert a blank line after the blockquote to end it.
Related Syntax
Lists
Learn Markdown lists: unordered bullets with -, ordered lists with numbers, nesting rules, loose vs tight lists, and how to avoid broken numbering.
Code Blocks
Learn Markdown code formatting: inline code with backticks, fenced code blocks with syntax highlighting, nesting backticks, and indented code blocks.
Horizontal Rule
Learn how to add a horizontal rule (divider line) in Markdown with three dashes, asterisks, or underscores — and how to avoid accidentally creating a heading.