editor-in-chief

Hyphens change how readers parse a title: editor-in-chief (hyphenated) names a single role; editor in chief (spaced) looks informal or nonstandard in written English.

Short rules, quick checks, and ready-to-use corrections help you decide and fix instances in work, school, and casual writing.

Quick answer

Use editor-in-chief with hyphens when the phrase names a single position in text. Pluralize as editors-in-chief. To avoid hyphens, recast as chief editor.

Standard written form: editor-in-chief.
Plural: editors-in-chief.
Recast to avoid hyphens: chief editor or the editor who leads the desk.

Core explanation (short)

Editor-in-chief is a compound noun: three words that act as one title. Hyphens bind the parts so readers treat them as a single role rather than separate descriptors.

In speech you may say editor in chief, but in formal running text hyphenate to be clear and standard.

Hyphen(s) = one job title.
No hyphen = loose phrase or informal text; likely flagged by style guides and spell-checkers.

Wrong: She is the editor in chief of the magazine.
Right: She is the editor-in-chief of the magazine.

Hyphenation rules you can apply to other titles

Rule of thumb: hyphenate when words combine to form a single noun or modifier. If you change the word order (chief editor) or expand into a clause (the editor who is chief), hyphens aren't needed.

When stacking modifiers (assistant editor-in-chief), keep hyphens to show the relationship clearly.

Hyphenate as a set: editor-in-chief, assistant editor-in-chief.
Recast to reduce hyphens: chief editor or the editor who leads the desk.
Follow your publication's style guide if it differs.

Spacing vs hyphen: searching, typing, and cleaning text

Search for both editor-in-chief and editor in chief before finalizing copy. Auto-replace can help, but review each change for context (possessives, plurals, or line breaks).

In narrow layouts, consider nonbreaking hyphens or check line breaks to avoid awkward splits.

Find both forms and standardize to editor-in-chief where the title appears.
Check plural and possessive: editors-in-chief, editor-in-chief's.
When doing bulk fixes, spot-check cases like editor in chief's → editor-in-chief's and editors in chief → editors-in-chief.

Real usage: work, school, and casual examples (copy-ready)

Use these sentences in the contexts where the choice most often matters: professional (newsrooms, PR), academic (student papers, yearbooks), and casual (club notes, messages).

Work: use the hyphenated form in bylines, memos, and press materials.
School: hyphenate on mastheads, awards, and resumes.
Casual: hyphenation is optional in chat, but keep it in any written document.

Work: She is the editor-in-chief of the marketing newsletter; route article drafts to her.
Work: Our editor-in-chief approved the final copy for the press release.
Work: The outgoing editor-in-chief handed over the editorial calendar at the meeting.
School: Elected editor-in-chief, she coordinated photographers and the layout team for the yearbook.
School: She listed 'Editor-in-Chief, Campus Times, 2024' on her internship resume.
School: As editor-in-chief, he led the student magazine redesign this semester.
Casual: She's the editor-in-chief for our community zine - handles copy and design.
Casual: Congrats to our new editor-in-chief - can't wait to see the spring issue!
Casual: If you want a quick alternative, chief editor works fine in a text.

Examples: concentrated wrong/right pairs (copyable)

Eight quick pairs covering common sentences and plurals. Replace the wrong version with the right one in your documents.

Wrong: In the newsroom, she became editor in chief after several promotions.
Right: In the newsroom, she became editor-in-chief after several promotions.
Wrong: She was elected editor in chief of the paper by her classmates.
Right: She was elected editor-in-chief of the paper by her classmates.
Wrong: Our editor in chief will review the draft before we send it to press.
Right: Our editor-in-chief will review the draft before we send it to press.
Wrong: Editors in chief met to decide the next issue's theme.
Right: Editors-in-chief met to decide the next issue's theme.

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence, not just the phrase. Context usually makes the correct form obvious.

How to fix your sentence: 6 quick rewrites

Three editing moves solve most problems: (A) Hyphenate the compound, (B) Recast to chief editor, (C) Expand to a clause. Below are six originals with one or two fixes each.

Original: She is the editor in chief of our quarterly report. Fix A: She is the editor-in-chief of our quarterly report. Fix B: She is the chief editor of our quarterly report.
Original: As editor in chief, she approved the layout. Fix: As editor-in-chief, she approved the layout.
Original: The editor in chief who handled the issue retired. Fix A: The editor-in-chief who handled the issue retired. Fix B: The chief editor who handled the issue retired.
Original: Editors in chief argued over captions. Fix: Editors-in-chief argued over captions.
Original: Our editor in chief's notes were missing. Fix: Our editor-in-chief's notes were missing.
Original: We need an editor in chief for the club newsletter. Fix: We need an editor-in-chief for the club newsletter.

Grammar notes: plurals, possessives, and capitalization

Pluralize the main noun: editors-in-chief. Attach possessive markers to the whole phrase: the editor-in-chief's decision; the editors-in-chief's meeting.

Capitalize as a formal title when it directly precedes a name (Editor-in-Chief Maria Lopez); lowercase in general references (the editor-in-chief). Follow your publication's style for consistency.

Plural: editors-in-chief.
Possessive singular: editor-in-chief's. Possessive plural: editors-in-chief's.
Capitalization: title case before a name; lowercase in running text unless your style guide says otherwise.

Memory tricks and final checklist

Two quick tricks: (1) Say it as one unit: editor-in-chief - if it feels like a single name, hyphenate. (2) Think editors-in-chief to remember which word pluralizes.

Three quick checks before you publish:

Is it naming a single role in formal writing? → Hyphenate.
Do you prefer a hyphen-free look? → Recast as chief editor.
Final checklist: (A) Formal title? (B) Before a name? (C) Plurals and possessives correct?

Usage tip: Sticky note: 'Use editor-in-chief (hyphenated) in bylines and formal docs; chief editor is OK in casual notes.'

Similar mistakes to watch for

Not all multiword titles follow the same pattern. Compare these common pairs to avoid overcorrection.

mother-in-law - hyphenated.
attorney general - usually not hyphenated; plural is attorneys general.
vice president - usually not hyphenated in running text (some styles use hyphens in modifiers, e.g., vice-president-elect).

Usage: She is the attorney general of the state.
Usage: Her mother-in-law arrives on Tuesday.
Usage: He was elected vice president of the club. (Check style if you need vice-president-elect.)

FAQ

Should I write 'editor-in-chief' with hyphens?

Yes. Use editor-in-chief in most formal and published contexts to show the phrase is a single job title.

Is 'editor in chief' ever correct?

You may see it in informal speech or older texts, but it's nonstandard in modern written English. Recast as chief editor to avoid hyphens.

How do I pluralize 'editor-in-chief'?

Pluralize the main noun: editors-in-chief. Possessive plural: editors-in-chief's.

How should I capitalize the title?

Lowercase in general mentions (the editor-in-chief). Many style guides capitalize the title when it precedes a name: Editor-in-Chief Maria Lopez. Follow your guide for consistency.

What quick search-and-replace should I run?

Search for 'editor in chief', 'editor in chief's', and 'editors in chief' and replace with 'editor-in-chief', 'editor-in-chief's', and 'editors-in-chief' - then review each replacement in context.

Need a fast check?

Copy-paste your sentence into a grammar or hyphenation checker, or run a short find-and-replace plus spot-check. Standardizing to editor-in-chief in formal documents fixes most inconsistencies quickly.