missing hyphen in '7 figure salary'

Short answer: When a number + noun directly modifies another noun, use a hyphen: 7-figure salary, 10-year contract, 3-person team. When the phrase is predicative or plural (after a verb), don't hyphenate: her salary is seven figures; the warranty lasts 10 years.

Quick answer: should you write 7-figure or 7 figure?

Hyphenate when the number+noun acts as an adjective before a noun (7-figure salary). Don't hyphenate when the phrase follows a verb or is pluralized (her salary is seven figures).

Before a noun → hyphen: 7-figure salary, 10-year renewal, three-person panel.
After a verb / as a plural noun → no hyphen: The salary is seven figures; the trial lasts 10 years.
Either digits or words work (7-figure or seven-figure); pick a style and stay consistent.

Core rule: when to hyphenate numeric compound adjectives

Hyphenate when a number plus noun modifies another noun directly: 7-figure salary, twenty-one-year-old intern, 3-person team. Do not hyphenate when the phrase comes after the noun as a predicate or when the numeric noun is plural: the interns are 21 years old; sales reached seven figures.

Adjective before noun → hyphen: a 10-year plan, a three-person committee.
Predicate after verb → no hyphen: The plan lasts 10 years.
Plural numeric noun → no hyphen: sales hit seven figures.

Wrong: She accepted a 7 figure offer.
Right: She accepted a 7-figure offer.
Wrong: The contract is 10 years.
Right: The contract lasts 10 years.

Hyphenation and style: numerals vs. spelled-out numbers

Both numerals and spelled-out numbers take hyphens when they form compound adjectives: 7-figure or seven-figure. Choose digits for business and data-heavy copy for scannability; spell out numbers in narrative prose if your style calls for it. Either way, hyphenate adjectivally.

Business copy: use numerals and hyphens (7-figure).
Narrative/AP-style: spell small numbers and hyphenate (seven-figure).
Chicago and other guides treat hyphenated compound modifiers similarly; follow your chosen guide for digit vs. word choice.

Right: AP-style: She signed a seven-figure deal.
Right: Business memo: He secured a 7-figure contract.

Spacing, punctuation and mechanical hyphen errors

Common mechanical errors: adding spaces around the hyphen (7 -figure), using an en dash or em dash instead of a hyphen, or running words together (7figure). Use a single hyphen with no spaces: 7-figure.

Wrong forms to avoid: 7 -figure, 7figure, 7-figure (en dash), 7-figure (em dash).
Right: 7-figure (single hyphen, no spaces).
Keep the hyphen attached to the compound; don't split it across lines unless automatic hyphenation allows it.

Wrong: They offered a 7 -figure bonus.
Right: They offered a 7-figure bonus.
Wrong: We hired a 21 year old intern.
Right: We hired a 21-year-old intern.

Grammar quick checks: predicate vs modifier, plurals, and -ly adverbs

Ask these quick questions: Is the number+noun immediately before another noun and describing it? If yes, hyphenate. Is it after a linking verb or acting as a plural noun? If yes, don't hyphenate.

Also: do not hyphenate adverbs ending in -ly (a heavily armed officer is correct without a hyphen).

Position check: before noun = hyphen; after verb = no hyphen.
Plural check: seven figures = no hyphen.
-ly adverbs: heavily armed (no hyphen) vs. well-armed officer (hyphen because well- modifies armed).

Wrong: A heavily-armed officer approached the scene.
Right: A heavily armed officer approached the scene.
Wrong: The company's revenue is 7-figures.
Right: The company's revenue is seven figures.

Examples you can copy: work, school and casual (multiple wrong/right pairs)

Short, realistic lines to paste into emails, reports, CVs, essays, or social posts. Each wrong line is followed by a corrected version.

Work: Use hyphens in subject lines, memos and contracts for clarity.
School: Hyphenate adjectival durations and ages in reports and CVs.
Casual: Hyphens are optional in private texts, but prefer them on public or professional platforms.

Work_wrong: Our VP just negotiated a 7 figure partnership.
Work_right: Our VP just negotiated a 7-figure partnership.
Work_wrong: They approved a 10 year renewal of the contract.
Work_right: They approved a 10-year renewal of the contract.
Work_wrong: We're hiring a 3 person analytics team next quarter.
Work_right: We're hiring a 3-person analytics team next quarter.
School_wrong: Turn in a 7 page essay by Monday.
School_right: Turn in a 7-page essay by Monday.
School_wrong: We ran a 3 week experiment on memory recall.
School_right: We ran a 3-week experiment on memory recall.
School_wrong: Recruit five 21 year old participants.
School_right: Recruit five 21-year-old participants.
Casual_wrong: Just closed a 7 figure deal! 🎉
Casual_right: Just closed a 7-figure deal! 🎉
Casual_wrong: I made it to 7 figure this year.
Casual_right: I made it to the seven-figure mark this year.
Casual_wrong: New year, 10 year goals.
Casual_right: New year, 10-year goals.

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence instead of the isolated phrase. Context reveals whether the number+noun is modifying another noun (hyphen) or acting as a predicate/plural (no hyphen).

How to fix your sentence: quick rewrite templates and examples

When in doubt, use a safe rewrite. These templates preserve tone and avoid punctuation uncertainty.

Template A (hyphenate): Turn X Y Z into X-Y Z when X (number) + Y (noun) modifies Z. E.g., 7 figure salary → 7-figure salary.
Template B (spell out): Use words: 7-figure → seven-figure if your style prefers words.
Template C (restructure): Change "a 7-figure salary" to "a salary in the seven-figure range" to avoid hyphen questions and soften tone.

Rewrite:
Wrong: Her 7 figure salary surprised everyone. →
Right: Her 7-figure (or seven-figure) salary surprised everyone.
Rewrite:
Wrong: I want a 10 year plan. →
Right: I want a 10-year plan.
Rewrite:
Wrong: He hit 7 figure last quarter. →
Right: He reached seven-figure revenue last quarter. OR He reached a seven-figure revenue this quarter.
Rewrite:
Wrong: Our 5 person team won. →
Right: Our 5-person team won.
Rewrite:
Wrong: The study ran a 2 month period. →
Right: The study ran a two-month period. OR The study lasted two months.
Rewrite:
Wrong: They've entered 7 figure territory. →
Right: They've entered the seven-figure range.

Real usage and tone: when to sound formal and when casual forms are OK

Use hyphens in formal venues: reports, press releases, LinkedIn announcements, contracts and academic papers. Hyphens improve clarity and signal attention to detail.

In private messages among friends, casual forms are usually forgiven, but on public or professional platforms prefer the hyphen or a clear rewrite.

Headline: keep the hyphen for scan-ability - 7-figure salary for new CEO.
Email subject: use hyphenated adjectives for concise clarity - 10-year extension approved.
Social: hyphenate when announcing financial or professional milestones; casual shorthand is fine for private chats.

Usage: Headline: 7-Figure Salary Boosts Industry Interest.
Usage: LinkedIn: Promoted to a 7-figure role - grateful for the team.
Usage: Text (casual): Just hit 7 figure today! (acceptable among friends)

Memory trick: one quick test to decide

Place the phrase before a noun in your head. If it naturally sits before and describes that noun, hyphenate. If it sounds like a standalone noun phrase after a verb, don't.

Test: Insert "a" before the phrase - "a 7-figure salary" → hyphenate.
If "in the" improves the phrase ("in the seven-figure range"), consider rewriting instead of hyphenating.

Similar mistakes to watch for (other hyphenation traps)

When you fix a missing hyphen in 7-figure, check other compound adjectives: ages, durations, cost descriptors and multi-word numbers. Also watch adverbs ending in -ly and compound nouns that may be open or closed depending on usage.

Hyphenate adjectival ages/durations: 21-year-old participant, two-week trial, 30-day notice.
Hyphenate cost compounds: million-dollar idea, three-figure score.
Do not hyphenate adverbs ending in -ly: a highly paid employee (no hyphen).

Wrong: They offered a million dollar bonus.
Right: They offered a million-dollar bonus.
Wrong: He is a 30 year veteran of the firm.
Right: He is a 30-year veteran of the firm.

FAQ

Is it 7-figure or seven-figure?

Both are correct. Use numerals (7-figure) in business and data-heavy copy; spell out small numbers (seven-figure) if your style prefers words. In either case, hyphenate when the phrase modifies a noun.

Do I hyphenate if the phrase follows the verb?

No. When the number phrase follows the noun as a predicate, do not hyphenate: Her salary is seven figures; the warranty lasts 10 years.

Should I use an en dash or a hyphen in 7-figure?

Use a hyphen (-). En dashes mark ranges (10-12) or complex connections, not simple numeric compound adjectives.

Can I rewrite instead of hyphenating?

Yes. Rewrites often improve clarity and tone: "a 7-figure salary" → "a salary in the seven-figure range" or "seven-figure salary."

What about ages and durations?

Same rule: hyphenate when the age or duration modifies a noun before it - a 21-year-old participant, a two-week experiment. Do not hyphenate when used predicatively: The participant is 21 years old.

Want instant fixes?

When editing many documents, scan for numeric compounds and replace "7 figure" with "7-figure." That single change boosts clarity and professionalism. Use the rewrite templates above when you prefer a style-agnostic alternative.