\documentclass{minimal} \usepackage[T1]{fontenc} \usepackage{makebox} \unitlength1mm \begin{document} |asdf| |\makebox[20mm][l]{asdf}| |\makebox[20mm][r]{asdf}| |\makebox[20mm][c]{asdf}| |asdfasdf| |\makebox*{asdfasdf}[l]{asdf}| |\makebox*{asdfasdf}{asdf}| |\makebox*{asdfasdf}[r]{asdf}| |\makebox(20,3)[r]{asdf}| \end{document}