Is well known a compound word

Is well known a compound word?

(Hyphenate: Well is an adverb followed by another descriptive word. They combine to form one idea in front of the noun.) The actress who accepted her award was well known. (Do not hyphenate: Well known follows the noun it describes, so no hyphen is used.)

Why does well known have a hyphen?

For example, “He is a well-known man” is hyphenated because the compound modifier comes before the noun. The placement of a compound modifier after a noun frequently involves the use of a “to be” verb, so yes, the rule applies in that situation. In your example, “well known” is open after the noun.

Does high quality have a hyphen?

As a compound adjective “high-quality” means “of very good quality” and is written with a hyphen: Consumers are trading up from stores’ own brands to high-quality garments.

Does well mannered have a hyphen?

Hyphenation of well-mannered Wondering how to hyphenate the English word well-mannered? This word can be hyphenated and contains 2 syllables as shown below.

Does second quarter Need a hyphen?

When using a fraction (e.g. half or quarter) as part of a compound adjective, it should be hyphenated so the reader understands which fraction is modifying which noun.

Does well educated have a hyphen?

Thanks. No. A hyphen in well educated, well read, well informed, etc., is necessary only when the phrase functions as a modifier.

What is another word for well prepared?

Well-prepared Synonyms – WordHippo Thesaurus….What is another word for well-prepared?

provident	prudent
forehanded	foresighted
forethoughtful	expedient
mean	parsimonious
penny-pinching	prepared

What is it called when someone is prepared?

Merriam-Webster says it’s “Preparer”. Although personally I would’ve guessed and improvised and come up with something like “preparee” (as in “interviewee”) Here’s a link to the Merriam-Webster page-Definition of PREPARE.

What is another word for well?

What is another word for well?

appropriately	accordingly
aptly	fittingly
presentably	satisfactorily
suitably	acceptably
adequately	decently

How do you say you are well prepared?

Synonyms

1. delectable.
2. enjoyable.
3. enticing.
4. prepared.
5. tempting.
6. yummy.
7. vigilant.
8. well-found.

How can I be well prepared?

Here are some steps to make you feel better when entering new situations that you feel anxious about, allowing you to prepare better.

1. Ditch the perfection.
2. Forget what others think.
3. The time you spend doesn’t matter.
4. Plan and prepare.
5. Prepare for the second time.

Is Well Prepared correct?

well prepared = adverb + adjective well-prepared = adjective (directly before a noun) Are you well prepared? A well-prepared test. However, you can leave the hyphen out! You are pretty safe if you omit hyphens.

Why is preparation important?

Preparation can be learnt And the advantage of preparation is that you can manage problems more quickly and more efficiently because you will already have the solutions at hand ready to be implemented. The important factor here is time – and as we all know, time is money!

How do you mentally prepare for something?

It’s all in the mind: 5 ways to mentally prepare yourself to achieve any goal

1. Consider the big and small picture.
2. Be realistic.
3. Feel the fear and do it anyway.
4. Be true to your passions.
5. Think about how you’ll deal with setbacks.

What is mental preparedness?

What is Mental Preparedness? In short, mental preparedness is a way of getting your mind ready to cope with stresses in a survival situation. Athletes use mental preparedness, as do lawyers, managers, and others who successfully work in high-stress situations.

What is mental preparation?

Mental preparation is defined as “the act of mentally preparing oneself for a performance,” whether it be academics, athletics or fine arts, a lot of practice and preparation is required to achieve the desired outcome. Along with physical preparation, mental preparation is often a large aspect of one’s success.

How do you mentally prepare for hard work?

Four Tips to Mentally Prepare for a Long Day at Work

1. Go to Bed Early. A long shift is even more grueling when you start the day exhausted.
2. Think About What’s in Store.
3. Make a Game Plan.
4. Focus on the Positive.
5. Get the Work-Life Balance You Deserve.

How do I motivate myself to study?

10 ways to motivate yourself to study

1. Acknowledge your resistance and difficult feelings with motivation.
2. Do not run away.
3. Do not blame yourself for procrastinating now and then.
4. Try to understand your studying style better.
5. Don’t question your abilities.
6. Visualise yourself starting.
7. Focus on the task at hand.

What motivates me to work harder?

Possible Answer #2 “Success is what motivates me to do a good job. Knowing the fact that my hard work and perseverance will help me achieve greater professional success is what keeps me going. I feel that aligning the company’s vision and values with my own is one way to achieve that.

How can I motivate myself everyday?

Review your goals first thing in the morning and pick one thing.

1. Evaluating and reflecting what’s going in your life right now.
2. Defining your dream and goals.
3. Making your goals S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-sensitive).
4. Holding yourself accountable.

What motivate you in your life?

The final factor that motivates most people in life is passion. When you are so passionate about something, you will think about it all the time. You will be willing to wake up early and sacrifice your sleep for it. This is why passion is important because it can drive you each day to achieve what you want in life.

How do you motivate yourself in lockdown?

1. Routine: Getting yourself into a routine is one of the best ways to stay motivated and to keep on top of your work.
2. Break up your work: Try breaking your work down into manageable chunks.
3. Give yourself a reward:
4. Make time to go offline and outside:
5. Try to exercise:
6. Stay connected:
7. Try to focus on what you want:
8. Plan:

What causes a lack of motivation?

One reason you might have a lack of motivation is that you’re leaving things too open. When things are vague, the motivation will fade. When you’re unable to tap into the motivation you need to succeed, it might be because whatever thing you want to get motivated for is too vague.

What drug gives you energy and motivation?

Lubec has developed a large family of related drug candidates to increase motivation, all related to modafinil. Modafinil, a drug developed initially to enhance wakefulness, also helps people concentrate on a task and engage with it more.

Does ADHD cause lack of motivation?

Adults and children with ADHD have lower levels of dopamine, which limits their brains ability to both recognize rewards and seek them out. This results in a lack of motivation. Without recognizing rewards, the body is unmotivated to act in any direction.

Why am I getting so lazy?

What are the main causes of laziness? Being unmotivated or distracted are two major causes of laziness. But more often than not, people just don’t have good habits in place that help them be productive.

How do I become less lazy?

How to overcome laziness

1. Make your goals manageable. Setting unrealistic goals and taking on too much can lead to burnout.
2. Don’t expect yourself to be perfect.
3. Use positive instead of negative self-talk.
4. Create a plan of action.
5. Use your strengths.
6. Recognize your accomplishments along the way.
7. Ask for help.
8. Avoid distraction.

How do you know if a word is a compound word?

We just use a space between the adjective and the noun, so sometimes it can be hard to identify as a compound; however, if the two words are commonly used together, it’s considered to be a compound word.

What is the compound adjective of well?

To summarize, well requires a hyphen when it functions as part of a compound adjective (generally when it precedes a noun). There is no hyphen when well functions as an adverb (usually following the noun being modified and a linking verb, such as to be), or when it is qualified (as in extremely well groomed).

What is a compound adjective in English?

1. A compound adjective is formed when two or more adjectives work together to modify the same noun. These terms should be hyphenated to avoid confusion or ambiguity.

Is well positioned meaning?

In a good or advantageous position, location, or situation (now especially to do something).

What is a synonym for well positioned?

Synonyms: In a good, better or pleasant situation. advantaged. privileged. have (got) it made (in the shade)

What is another word for positioned?

Positioned Synonyms – WordHippo Thesaurus….What is another word for positioned?

established	set up
landed	lodged
moored	planted
put	set down
centralisedUK	centredUK

Are well placed?

in a good situation to be able to do something: Roche is well-placed to compete with its strategy to invest in research and development. Because of everything we have planned in redevelopment, we are well-positioned. Want to learn more?

Is best placed meaning?

To be in a better position or situation to do or have something.

How do you spell well positioned?

Correct spelling for the English word “well-positioned” is [wˈɛlpəzˈɪʃənd], [wˈɛlpəzˈɪʃənd], [w_ˈɛ_l_p_ə_z_ˈɪ_ʃ_ə_n_d] (IPA phonetic alphabet).

Is well founded?

If you say that a report, opinion, or feeling is well-founded, you mean that it is based on facts and can therefore be justified.

What is well founded?

: based on excellent reasoning, information, judgment, or grounds.

What does well grounded mean?

1 : having a firm foundation well-grounded in Latin and Greek. 2 : well-founded.

What does it mean to call someone grounded?

If you say that someone is grounded, you mean that they are sensible and reasonable, and that they understand the importance of ordinary things in life. Family and old friends help me stay grounded.

Is well grounded?

adjective. based on good reasons; well-founded: His opposition to the scheme is well-grounded. well or thoroughly instructed in the basic principles of a subject: She is well-grounded in mathematics.

What does grounded mean?

: mentally and emotionally stable : admirably sensible, realistic, and unpretentious remains grounded despite all the praise and attention — see also ground entry 2.

How do you use the word grounded?

Grounded Sentence Examples

1. “I’m grounded, but I’ll come back later,” he said.
2. Darian’s grounded ’til further notice.
3. Alfonso lost the use of his cell phone for a month and Alex grounded Jonathan for the same amount of time.

How do I know if Im grounded?

The concept of being grounded refers to a feeling of being stable, at ease, and consciously present. When we feel grounded, we are able to accept and let go of the momentary tough moments throughout the day and are not easily influenced by others’ ideas or feelings. You feel more at peace with your authentic self.

What does it mean to be emotionally grounded?

When you’re grounded, you’re in complete control of your mental and emotional self, and not easily influenced by other ideas or individuals. Those who are grounded allow life’s small mishaps to roll off their shoulders.

What happens when you are not grounded?

Whilst being present, it is also the most calming feeling in the world. When we do not feel very well grounded, all sorts of problems can arise such as lack of sleep, anxiety, poor concentration, feeling easily deceived by others, feeling fatigued and generally feeling so ‘bleh’ about life.

How do you stay emotionally grounded?

9 Ways to Stay Grounded in Uncertain Times

1. Practice gratitude.
2. Appreciate life’s simple pleasures.
3. Take a break.
4. Connect with others.
5. Be the change you want to see in the world.
6. Prioritize your mental and emotional health.
7. Stay active.
8. Make the best of it and have fun.

Why is it important to stay grounded?

From reducing stress and anxiety to practicing self love, staying grounded has so many positive effects on your emotional and mental health.

What makes you grounded?

Being “grounded” means that you’re present in your body and connected with the earth. When you’re grounded, you allow yourself to feel centered and balanced no matter what’s going on around you. If you aren’t grounded, you’re like a leaf in the wind: very vulnerable and thrown off balance very quickly.

How can I be grounded to earth?

When you’re outside, you can easily ground yourself by allowing the bottoms of your feet, palms of your hands, or entire body to touch the earth. Walk in the grass, lay in the sand, or swim in the sea. These are all easy ways to naturally reconnect.

How can I be grounded?

These grounding exercises use mental distractions to help redirect your thoughts away from distressing feelings and back to the present.

1. Play a memory game.
2. Think in categories.
3. Use math and numbers.
4. Recite something.
5. Make yourself laugh.
6. Use an anchoring phrase.
7. Visualize a daily task you enjoy or don’t mind doing.

What can I touch to ground myself?

A grounded object is something that has a direct conductive path to the earth, such as a water pipe, wall, or wood table. When working with computers, the most ideal way to ground yourself is to touch the exterior metal box of your computer’s power supply before unplugging the machine.

Can you ground with socks on?

+ Can I wear socks when using an Earthing® mat on the floor? Yes, but direct skin contact is best. Feet naturally sweat and will hydrate socks, making the socks somewhat conductive.

Is groundedness a word?

The quality of being grounded.

Asked by: Lexus Bahringer

Score: 4.8/5
(75 votes)

(Hyphenate: Well is an adverb followed by another descriptive word. They combine to form one idea in front of the noun.) … (Do not hyphenate: Well known follows the noun it describes, so no hyphen is used.)

Is well known one word or two?

«Well-known can be spelled with or without a hyphen. You usually spell it with a hyphen in front of a noun and without a hyphen after a verb.

Is well known a compound words?

There are three types of compound words; … Open Compounds: Compound words that are written as separate words such as high school, living room, school bus, etc. Hyphenated Compounds: Words that use a hyphen in between two words, such as well-known, second-rate, merry-go-round, etc.

Is well known hyphenated AP style?

According to AP, we must hyphenate well when it is part of a compound modifier: well-dressed, well-informed, well-known. AP also advises that a compound that’s hyphenated before a noun is also hyphenated following a form of the verb to be: The man is well-known. The woman is quick-witted.

Is well regarded hyphenated?

There is one other exception. Don’t add a hyphen to well if it is modified: As a well-regarded member of the firm, Atkinson was chosen to be the spokesperson. … To summarize, well requires a hyphen when it functions as part of a compound adjective (generally when it precedes a noun).

23 related questions found

UPDATED IN OCTOBER 2022

A reader wrote to me today asking about a sentence with the phrase “well known.” Is he “well known for his philanthropy” or “well-known for his philanthropy”?

These days I can give a quick answer: He is well-known for his philanthropy. The phrase well-known needs that hyphen.

Why? Because the dictionaries say so. I just checked my American Heritage College Dictionary, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, and Canadian Oxford Dictionary. All three indicate that well-known is hyphenated. With my three dictionaries in agreement on well-known, chances are good that your dictionary agrees too.

And the style manuals defer to dictionaries when it comes to hyphens. The hyphen sections of The Chicago Manual of Style and The Associated Press Stylebook specifically recommend using a dictionary to answer questions about hyphens in compound terms.

Unfortunately, dictionaries agree only some of the time. For example, in the alphabetized list of well- words below, only the ones without dictionary notes next to them appear and are hyphenated in all three of my dictionaries. The others appear with hyphens in only one or two dictionaries, or they appear closed up (wellborn) or open (well done). 

well-adjusted (in M-W and CO)
well-advised (in M-W and CO)
well-aimed (in CO)
well-appointed
well-attended (in CO)
well-balanced
well-behaved (in CO)
well-beloved (in M-W)
well-born (in CO––the others close it up: wellborn)
well-bred
well-built (in CO)
well-chosen (in CO)
well-conditioned (in M-W and CO)
well-connected (in CO)
well-constructed (in CO)
well-defined
well-deserved (in CO)
well-designed (in CO)
well-developed (in CO)
well-disposed
well-documented (in CO)
well-done (in M-W and AH—CO renders it open: well done)
well-dressed (in CO)
well-earned (in CO)
well-educated (in CO)
well-endowed (in M-W and CO)
well-established (in CO)
well-favored (in M-W and AH)
well-fed (in AH and CO)
well-fixed (in M-W and AH)
well-formed (in CO)
well-found (in M-W and AH)
well-founded
well-groomed
well-grounded
well-handled (in M-W and AH)
well-heeled
well-informed (in M-W and CO)
well-intentioned
well-kept (in CO)
well-knit
well-known
well-liked (in CO)
well-lit, well-lighted (in CO)
well-loved (in CO)
well-made (in CO)
well-maintained (in CO)
well-mannered (in AH and CO)
well-marked (in CO)
well-matched (in CO)
well-meaning
well-meant
well-off (in M-W and AH—CO renders it open: well off)
well-oiled (in M-W and CO)
well-ordered (in M-W and CO)
well-organized (in CO)
well-paid (in CO)
well-placed (in M-W–CO renders it open: well placed)
well-planned (in CO)
well-prepared (in CO)
well-preserved (in CO)
well-proportioned (in CO)
well-read
well-received (in CO)
well-rounded
well-set (in M-W)
well-spent (in CO)
well-spoken
well-stocked (in CO)
well-suited (in CO)
well-supported (in CO)
well-taken
well-thought-of
well-thought-out (in CO)
well-thumbed (in CO)
well-timed
well-to-do
well-traveled (in CO)
well-trodden (in CO)
well-turned
well-upholstered (in CO)
well-used (in CO)
well-worn

What does that list mean to you?

Consult a Dictionary

It means that you should consult your dictionary when you wonder about whether you should hyphenate a compound word. It also means that you should agree on a dictionary if you write, edit, or proofread with or for others. You don’t want to write “The money was well-spent” and have a colleague change it to “The money was well spent.” My preferred dictionary is The American Heritage College Dictionary.

And there’s another rule to follow: If you use a well word that does not appear in your dictionary, you still need to hyphenate it if it appears before the word it describes:

Her well-written memo impressed me.
I appreciated sharing his well-equipped kitchen.

Compound Expression After A Noun

When the compound expression comes after the word it describes, The Chicago Manual of Style and The Associated Press Stylebook handle it differently.

Chicago recommends that such words are “hyphenated before but not after a noun”:

I thought her memo was well written.
His kitchen is well equipped.

After “To Be”

However, AP states that “when a modifier that would be hyphenated before a noun occurs instead after a form of the verb to be, the hyphen usually must be retained to avoid confusion”:

I thought her memo was well-written. (Was is a “to be” verb.)
His kitchen is well-equipped. (Is is a “to be” verb.)

As you can see, it’s essential to agree on a style manual when you work with others on written communication.

I hope you feel well informed (according to American Heritage and Chicago) after reading this post.

The Takeaway

Consult a dictionary to decide on hyphenation and stick to one dictionary (this writer prefers The American Heritage College Dictionary).   If a compound well- word is not in the dictionary, use a hyphen.  When the compound expression comes after the noun it describes, the hyphen is not needed. Unless the compound expression appears after the verb “to be,” in which case a hyphen is needed.

For more articles discussing hyphenation:

Are Numbers Hyphenated When Written Out? Let’s Find Out.

Capitalizing Hyphenated Words in Titles

Quick Tip on Hyphenation

Lynn

• #1

I’m proof-reading a text in which I’ve found the following phrase: «The novels for which Austen is most well known….«


Having been taught that the comparison of the adjective «good» is «good, better, best,» I am sorely tempted to correct «most well known» to «best-known.» But there seems to be considerable acceptance of «most well known.»

Your opinions?

Thanks in advance.

• #2

I think both ways are ok. Personally, I would say best known also but I think «most well known» is also acceptable. (I wouldn’t use a hyphen with best known though unless it was preceding the noun. For example, his best-known novels. Or, he is best known for the novels…..)

• #3

Thanks, Driven. You’re right about the hyphen, of course.

• #4

Since I’ve had the doctrine of being parsimonious with words drilled into me at a relatively early age, «most well known» would fall victim immediately to my red pencil.

• #5

The two constructions seem about equally common and equally acceptable to me. Presumably the phrase ‘well known’ is reinterpreted as an adjective ‘well-known’ (which I’d hyphenate on the grounds it was now a single word). As a phrase containing an adverb, the adverb is inflected; as an adjective it takes ‘more’.

You get the same thing with complexes of ‘high’: ‘most high-profile’ = ‘highest-profile’. Oddly, for me at least ‘high quality’ isn’t an adjective; I can only say ‘highest quality’, not ‘most high-quality’. I’m not aware of any complexes of ‘well’ where there’s any difference in acceptability.

• #6

I would be comfortable with both best known and with most adjectival phrase.I read well known (with no need for a hyphen when it does not come before a noun, and with a hyphen required when it does) as an adverb followed by the adjective it modifies; most modifies the combined adverb +adjective.

Ultimately it is a question of stylistic preference, as the meanings of the alternative terms are the same.

• #7

Thanks to all. Much appreciated.

• #8

I think the acceptance is because the «well known» is seen as different from just «known».

Algebraically, if I might : Most (well known) is different from (Most well) known. The latter cries out for «best» while the most of the former sits quite happily on its own.

• #9

Interesting and useful analysis, Julian. Thanks.

• #10

Drifting back to a starting point…

Having been taught that the comparison of the adjective «good» is «good, better, best,» I am sorely tempted to correct «most well known» to «best-known.»

I wonder if this is pertinent. Do we say «good» known? Isn’t it more useful to think of our options as —

least known>>>known>>more known>> most or best known ?

Of course we can say better known, so that confuses things a little. English is not algebraic, even if we sometimes benefit from trying algebraic analysis.

• #11

I wonder if this is pertinent. Do we say «good» known?

Cuchu, I think it is pertinent D) because not only do we say good-better-best, we also say well-better-best….

That said, I agree with Julian and with you: it depends whether we’re thinking of most (well-known) or (most-well) known = best-known.

• #12

Indeed. I should have put it «well-better-best» in the first place.

• #13

There is also the difference between

— most well-known writers (as in, say, «Most well-known writers are not wealthy»)

and

— best-known writers (as in, say, «He is one of the country’s best-known writers»)

• #14

Michael Swan (he’s got a very got grammar) says:
compound adjectives:

well-known

better-known or more known best-known or most well-known
the same happens with

good-looking

but there is a text which goes like this:
For almost 17 years Jane has worked as one of the Tower of London’s Yeoman Warders, ______ known to tourist as Beefeather.
answers:
more
better (the teacher’s book says this is the correct one)
there is no hyphen and I do not understand why

more

can’t be the answer too.
If we can say

better-known

or

more known

, why does the teacher’s book say that the answer is

better

and not

more

?

Last edited: Feb 5, 2013

• #15

No, we can’t say ‘more known’. The discussion above is about ‘more well-known’. In the positive degree, with no comparison:

The Beefeaters are well known.
The Beefeaters are much known.

Now form the comparative degree of those two sentences. ‘Much’ becomes ‘more’ in the second one, and is still ungrammatical, for the same reason:

The Beefeaters are more known than the Swiss Guards.

For the first one, there are two ways of making the comparative of ‘well known’, and they are both grammatical:

The Beefeaters are better known than the Swiss Guards. [(‘more’ + ‘well’) + ‘known’ — because we say ‘better’ for ‘more well’]
The Beefeaters are more well known than the Swiss Guards. [‘more’ + (‘well’ + ‘known’) — as if ‘well-known’ is a new adjective]

• #16

well-known

better-known or more known best-known or most well-known

I think that this is saying that if something is even more «known» than (well-known or better-known) then it’s (best-known or most well-known), i.e. «more known» is not part of the list but part of the text explaining the list. Compare this to: (a little bit red) pink or rose (more red) carmine or crimson. «More red» is not a color.

• #17

I’m proof-reading a text in which I’ve found the following phrase: «The novels for which Austen is most well known….«


Having been taught that the comparison of the adjective «good» is «good, better, best,» I am sorely tempted to correct «most well known» to «best-known.» But there seems to be considerable acceptance of «most well known.»

Your opinions?

Thanks in advance.

best known

• #18

Since I’ve had the doctrine of being parsimonious with words drilled into me at a relatively early age, «most well known» would fall victim immediately to my red pencil.

I would agree. Most well known sounds like something Dell Boy would say; rather like, «It’s my most favourite, Rodney». I’d favour best known (hyphenated, or not depending on exact useage).

Scientists are big into molecular compounds, and there is something kind of magical about them. You can start with a couple of atoms of hydrogen, add another atom of oxygen, and bada bing: water. Two distinct elements come together to create something entirely different.

It’s exactly the same with words. Well, maybe not exactly the same, but English is such a flexible, creative language that it’s filled with compound words—and new ones are popping up all the time to suit our ever-changing world. Some useful compound words recently added to Merriam-Webster are clickbait, photobomb, binge-watch, humblebrag, and spit-take.

So what is a compound word? How do you know whether it should be a closed compound, a hyphenated compound, or an open compound? What about compound sentences? We’ll look at all of these in this post.
 

When two (or occasionally, three) words work together to express a single idea, that’s a compound word. Compound words can be open, closed, or hyphenated, and they can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. English is full of preexisting compound words—or you can make up your own to suit the situation.

No one at the Star Trek convention really appreciated my Klingon-librarian costume.

The lung-collapsing dead-flower stench of my aunt Penelope’s perfume was headache-inducingly strong.

What is an open compound word?

An open compound word is two separate words (without even a hyphen to link them) functioning as a single idea.

When we were in high school, we regularly ate French fries, hot dogs, and ice cream with peanut butter as an afterschool snack.

What is a hyphenated compound word?

A hyphenated compound word is a term composed of two (or more) words connected by a hyphen. Like other compound words, a hyphenated compound can be a noun, adjective, or adverb.

The gun-toting, card-carrying FBI agent hid her angst well.

What is a closed compound word?

A closed compound word is a single word constructed of two or more other words. Most closed compound words were once open or hyphenated, but continued use solidified them—made them a single unit. Today’s open or hyphenated compounds are tomorrow’s closed compounds.

The moonlight coming through my bedroom window is so bright it outshines my flashlight.

Every afternoon, she wrote another story in her notebook; my favorite is the one about the starfish who loved rainbows and strawberries.

How do you know whether a compound word is open, hyphenated, or closed?

There’s really no trick to this! You look it up in a dictionary (like Merriam-Webster). Compound words evolve over time, so what was once black-bird is now blackbird, and what was once a web site is now almost always a website.

Don’t worry if you find dictionaries contradicting each other! Not every dictionary agrees on which compounds are open, hyphenated, or closed. Some offer health care and voice mail, for example, as two words, but others hyphenate or close those same compounds. In such cases, you’re free to use the spelling you prefer, except if you’re supposed to be following a particular style guide.

For example, the Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS) says that when a compound modifier comes before a noun, it’s never wrong to hyphenate it, since it can aid readability.

The seventy-year-old professor despaired for the dull-witted students in her late-afternoon class.

But (Chicago goes on to say) when compound modifiers follow the noun, leave them unhyphenated (even if they’re hyphenated in the dictionary).

The professor, who was almost seventy years old, couldn’t understand why her students were so dull witted by late afternoon.

What is a compound noun?

Compound words can be nouns, adjectives, adverbs—and even verbs (like pole-vault or double-click). In each case, they can be open, hyphenated, or closed. Compound nouns are perhaps the most common type of compound word. Here are some examples of compound nouns (some closed, some open, some hyphenated).

Susan’s grandmother, my mother-in-law, had a skylight above the bookcase in her living room that let in rainwater.

Watch out for the sometimes-unusual plurals of hyphenated compound nouns.

The workmen fixing the two merry-go-rounds in the local park typically catcalled all passersby, but they stopped once our attorneys-at-law sent them a warning.

What is a compound name?

A compound name is essentially a compound proper noun—a multiword term (often an open compound, though not always) that names a single entity.

Like Popeye, Black Panther gets at least some of his powers from eating his greens—in his case, the heart-shaped herb. But I bet Superman liked Cheez-Its better.

What’s important here is that these proper nouns are always preexisting compounds, so if you’re turning an open compound name into part of a compound modifier (see more about compound adjectives and adverbs below), you’ll need to use an en dash rather than a hyphen.

My new World War I–era cloche didn’t really go with anything in my New York–style wardrobe, so naturally I had to go shopping.

 

 

What is a compound adjective?

A compound adjective is a single adjective made up of more than one word—and it’s often a compound noun (or even compound name) being used to modify another noun. According to CMoS, it’s never wrong to hyphenate multiword adjectives when they precede a noun, even if they’re familiar open compounds like high school.

High-school students often have more brain-draining homework than college students.

My silly-voiced sister found her calling in advertising.

When a compound name functions as an adjective, there’s no need for a hyphen.

Penny was thrilled to win Dolly Parton tickets.

The Los Angeles weather is typically hot and sunny.

As touched on above, when a compound adjective follows a noun, the hyphen is usually not necessary.

Georgia is a well-read academic.

Georgia is well read.

I found a useful list of low-calorie cocktails.

I found a useful list of cocktails, all of them low calorie.

Remember that compound adjectives made from an adverb ending in –ly plus an adjective are never hyphenated. The -ly is enough of a signal that what follows is meant to be read together with the preceding word.

Sarah’s short-tempered grandfather griped about her recital, calling it a really dull concert.

Sarah’s grandfather, always short tempered, griped about her recital, describing it as really dull.

What is a compound adverb?

A compound adverb looks like a single word but (closely examined) is actually made up of two or more words working together to function as a single adverb. They’re often rather old fashioned, and they can sound stuffy and pompous so are best used sparingly: notwithstanding, nevertheless, heretofore, albeit, and so on.

Phrasal adverbs are very similar to compound adverbs, and they’re rather more useful.

I scattered rose petals here and there.

The newly married couple walked arm in arm.

Joseph goes running every day.

What is a compound sentence?

And here’s the bonus section (because the last thing we want to do is compound anyone’s confusion about compounds)!

Compound sentences are grammatically unrelated to compound words, but that still doesn’t answer the key question: What is a compound sentence? A compound sentence is when two or more independent clauses, each with its own subject and verb plus attendant objects and phrases, are joined with a coordinating conjunction (one of the FANBOYS: for, and, nor but, or, yet, so). Here, the key thing to remember is to always include a comma after the first independent clause and before the conjunction.

I read this blog post about compound words, but they didn’t explain about compound sentences, so I had to keep on searching.

My son’s story about the strawberry-loving starfish was really cute, so I sent it to my sister, and she loved it too.