Is It Gray or Grey (Color)? | Spelling & Examples
Gray and grey are two ways of spelling the same word, used to describe the shade between black and white. It’s used as an adjective to describe something of that color, as a noun to refer to the color itself, or as a verb to describe the act of becoming that color.
The spelling depends on whether you use British English or American English:
- In American English, “gray” is correct.
- In British English, “grey” is the usual spelling.
It’s important to choose one spelling and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
The artist mixed various shades of gray/grey to create a monochromatic painting.
Paul’s hair started to gray/grey when he was only 21.
In some cases, the spelling of gray or grey is fixed, no matter the version of English. This is true for proper nouns such as the tea blend Earl Grey (never “Earl Gray”) and for the name of the dog breed the greyhound (never “grayhound”).
Grays or greys
The plural noun form of gray or grey is grays or greys, which refers to multiple gray hairs or multiple shades of gray. This is also the third person singular verb form (e.g., “he grays/greys”). The same spelling difference applies:
- In American English, “grays” is correct for both the noun and verb.
- In British English, “greys” is correct for both the noun and verb.
It’s important to choose one spelling and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
His hair grays/greys very slowly, just like his father’s.
Which of the grays/greys is your favorite?
Graying or greying
The spelling difference also applies to the present participle forms of the verb, which is also used as an adjective literally to mean becoming gray or euphemistically to mean “ageing.”
- In American English, “graying” is correct.
- In British English, “greying” is most common.
The graying/greying population is a significant demographic trend in many countries.
I don’t mind the graying/greying, but I dislike my wrinkles.
Grayed or greyed
The spelling difference is also true for the past tense or past participle forms of the verb.
- In American English, “grayed” is correct.
- In British English, “greyed” is the usual spelling.
The sky grayed/greyed as the storm clouds rolled in, obscuring the sun.
The old white walls of the house had grayed/greyed with time and weathering.
Main differences between American and British English
American and British English are very similar, but there are a few main differences in spelling. Some differences are:
| Difference | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -or vs -our | In American English, many Latin-derived words end in -or. | Behavior or behaviour Color or colour Favor or favour Flavor or flavour Favorite or favourite Honor or honour Humor or humour Labor or labour Neighbor or neighbour |
| In British English, these same words end in -our. | ||
| -er vs -re | In American English, some French, Latin, or Greek words end in -er. | Center or centre Fiber or fibre Theater or theatre |
| In British English, these same words end in -re. | ||
| -ize vs -ise | In American English, many Greek-derived words end in -yze or -ize. | Analyze or analyse Organization or organisation Realize or realise Recognize or recognise |
| In British English, these words end in -yse or -ise. | ||
| -ed vs -t | In American English, most verbs are regular and form their past tense with the suffix -ed. | Burned or burnt Dreamed or dreamt Kneeled or knelt Learned or learnt Smelled or smelt Spelled or spelt Spilled or spilt |
| In British English, some of these verbs are irregular and form their past tense with the suffix -t. | ||
| Single vs double consonant | In American English, many words are spelled with a single consonant. | Buses or busses Canceled or cancelled Counselor or counsellor Focused or focussed Labeled or labelled Modeling or modelling Traveling or travelling |
| In British English, these same words are often spelled with a double consonant. | ||
| Dropping vs retaining the “e” | In American English, “e” is often dropped when forming a noun from a verb | Acknowledgment or acknowledgement Aging or ageing Judgment or judgement |
| In British English, the “e” is often retained. | ||
| Different verb and noun spellings | In American English, most words have identical verb and noun spellings. | License or licence Practice or practise |
| In British English, some words have different spellings for the verb and noun forms. | ||
| Other spelling differences | There are many other spelling differences between the two English variants. | Airplane or aeroplane Aluminum or aluminium Check or cheque Cozy or cosy Defense or defence Dependent or dependant Enrollment or enrolment Fulfil or fulfill Gray or grey Jewelry or jewellery Karat or carat Mold or mould Offense or offence Pajamas or pyjamas Program or programme Skeptical or sceptical Tire or tyre |
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Frequently asked questions about gray or Grey (Color)
- Is it gray area or grey area?
-
Gray and grey are two spellings of the same noun, adjective, or verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In American English, you use “gray,” so gray area is correct.
- In British English, you use “grey,” so grey area is correct.
Gray area or grey area refers to a difficult (moral) dilemma or a situation with unknown rules.
It’s important to choose one spelling and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this..
- Is it grayed out or greyed out?
-
Gray and grey are two spellings of the same noun, adjective, or verb. The spelling depends on the type of English:
- In American English, you use “gray,” so grayed out is correct.
- In British English, you use “grey,” so greyed out is correct.
The adjective grayed out or grayed out refers to something like a menu item or button on a computer screen that’s not highlighted, indicating that it’s inactive.
It’s important to choose one spelling and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this
