Number to Words Converter: Spell Out Numbers, Ordinals and Dollar Amounts

Writing a number out in words is easy for 7 and tedious for 1,204,350.75, which is exactly the kind of amount that shows up on checks, contracts and invoices. The rules for hyphens, "and" and ordinals also trip people up. Here is what the converter produces and where written numbers are actually expected.

The three modes

Convert

Writes the number in standard American English. Groups of thousands are separated by commas, numbers from 21 to 99 are hyphenated, and "and" is not used after "hundred":

1234567  ->  One million, two hundred thirty-four thousand, five hundred sixty-seven
3.14     ->  Three point one four
-0.5     ->  Negative zero point five

Digits after the decimal point are read one at a time, the way people say them aloud. British English usually adds "and" after hundred ("one hundred and five"), so add it by hand if you are writing for a UK audience.

Ordinal

Gives the position form of a whole number. Only the last word changes, and the irregular ones are handled: one becomes first, two second, three third, five fifth, eight eighth, nine ninth, twelve twelfth, and the tens drop the y, so twenty becomes twentieth.

42       ->  Forty-second
90       ->  Ninetieth
112      ->  One hundred twelfth
1000000  ->  One millionth

Currency

Writes a dollar amount with cents, without commas, in the form used on checks. Cents are rounded to the nearest whole cent.

$1,234.56  ->  One thousand two hundred thirty-four dollars and fifty-six cents

On a paper check, the usual convention is to write the cents as a fraction instead, as in "One thousand two hundred thirty-four and 56/100", and draw a line through the rest of the space so nothing can be added. Either form tells the bank the same amount.

The converter works with whole numbers up to 9,007,199,254,740,991, a little over nine quadrillion. That is the largest whole number JavaScript can store exactly, and anything bigger would come out wrong, so the tool tells you instead.

Why checks and contracts spell amounts out

A figure is easy to alter. Adding a zero or a digit to $1,000 takes a second, while changing "one thousand" to something else is much harder to do cleanly. Writing the amount in words also gives a second record to check the figure against.

For checks and other negotiable instruments in the United States, the rule for when the two disagree is set out in the Uniform Commercial Code. Section 3-114 says that when terms in an instrument contradict each other, words prevail over numbers. So if a check says $1,500 in the box and "One thousand five hundred fifty" on the line, the written amount is the one that counts. Contracts often follow the same practice of giving both forms, and many include a clause saying which one controls. That is a drafting choice, not something the law requires of every contract, so check the conventions for your document or ask whoever will review it.

When style guides want numbers in words

The major style guides disagree, which is why the same number can be written differently in a paper and a book:

• APA (7th edition): words for zero through nine, figures for 10 and above, with exceptions for measurements, ages and statistics.
• Chicago Manual of Style: words for zero through one hundred and for round numbers such as "two thousand", figures for the rest. Chicago also notes that many publications prefer the newspaper approach of words only below 10.
• MLA (9th edition): words for numbers that can be written in one or two words (eight, twenty-one, three hundred), figures for others.
• AP style, used by most newsrooms: words for one through nine, figures for 10 and above.

All of them say to write out a number that starts a sentence, or to rephrase so the sentence does not start with one.

Frequently asked questions

How do I write a dollar amount in words?

Type the amount and press Currency. For example, 1234.56 becomes "One thousand two hundred thirty-four dollars and fifty-six cents".

Should I write "one hundred and five" or "one hundred five"?

American usage, and this converter, leave out the "and". British usage includes it. On US checks, "and" is usually kept for the point between dollars and cents.

If the words and the number on a check differ, which one counts?

In the US, the words. The Uniform Commercial Code says that when terms in a check or other negotiable instrument contradict each other, words prevail over numbers.

How large a number can it convert?

Whole numbers up to 9,007,199,254,740,991, which is a little over nine quadrillion. Larger numbers cannot be stored exactly in a browser, so the tool shows a message instead of a wrong answer.

Does it handle negative numbers and decimals?

Yes. Negative numbers start with "negative", and decimals in Convert mode are read digit by digit after "point". Ordinal mode needs a whole number of zero or more.