'Years-Old' or 'Years Old': Should There Be a Hyphen?

By Shanea Patterson, updated on February 17, 2023

Wondering how to spell the phrase – ‘years-old’ or ‘years old’? Should there be a hyphen, you might be wondering. We’ll go over that in this article, plus you’ll learn how to pronounce it and use the correct spelling of the word in a sentence.

Need a quick answer? Here it is:

  • ‘Years-Old’ is not used in the English language.
  • ‘Year Old’ is used for ages expressed as adjectives before a noun or as substitutes for a noun.
  • ‘Years Old’ should be used when talking about how old someone or something is in general.

‘Year Old’ Hyphenated Or Not?

If you’re wondering whether to hyphenate this phrase, it depends on what you’re trying to say.

For example, if you’re talking about how old someone is in general, you’d use ‘years old.’

  • My daughter is 16 years old today.

But if the age is expressed as an adjective before a noun or as a substitute for a noun.

For example:

  • I have a 16-year-old daughter. (used as an adjective)

You don’t generally see ‘years old.’

The ‘Year-Old’ Hyphen – When to Use It and When to Drop It 

As you’ve just learned from the previous section, use the hyphen only when the age is expressed as an adjective before a noun or as a substitute for a noun.

Drop it when you’re simply stating the person’s age.

Now, let’s take a look at the definition of the phrase in more detail.

Definition and Meaning of ‘Years-Old’ and ‘Years Old’ 

We’ve already gotten a loose idea of what the phrases both mean, but let’s see what the Merriam-Webster dictionary has to say.

  •  ‘Year’ is a period of about 365 and a half solar days.
  •  ‘Old’ is defined as from an earlier time and advanced in years of age.

Pronunciation: How to Pronounce ‘Years-Old’ and ‘Years Old’ 

Wondering how to pronounce this phrase? Here’s a short guide.

  • To pronounce the phrase correctly, here’s the phonetic spelling: yIUHz Ohld

How to Use ‘Years-Old’ and ‘Years Old’ in a Sentence 

Now that you know how to pronounce the phrase and what it means, let’s see some examples of how to use it in a sentence.

  • My mom just turned 45 years old this year. We had a big party for her.
  • I don’t know how I feel about turning 25 years old this year. I can’t believe how old I am now.
  • Once she turns 18 years old, she feels obliged to go to college. It’s what everyone in her family has done.
  • My car is turning 10 years old today. It’s time to start looking for a new one.
  • My niece just turned 30 years old last week. I have to send her a gift.
  • I have to hurry if I’m going to make it to my son’s birthday party. He’s turning five years old. 

Concluding Advice on ‘Years-Old’ and ‘Years Old’

To recap, we learned that:

  • ‘Years-Old’ is not used in the English language.
  • ‘Year Old’ is used for ages expressed as adjectives before a noun or as substitutes for a noun.
  • ‘Years Old’ should be used when talking about how old someone or something is in general.

Therefore, you need to be careful about how you spell this phrase.

If you ever get stuck on anything, you can always come back here and refresh your memory. We’ve got a ton of other content on confusing words and phrases people commonly have trouble with. Go check it out anytime you feel unsure.

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Written By:
Shanea Patterson
Shanea Patterson is a writer based in New York and loves writing for brands big and small. She has a master's degree in professional writing from New York University and a bachelor's degree in English from Mercy College.

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