Both “reevaluation” and “re-evaluation” are correct. The right choice depends on your style guide and where your readers are based. American English prefers the unhyphenated form: “reevaluation.” British English commonly uses the hyphen: “re-evaluation.” For example, an American company report would read “a full reevaluation of the project timeline,” while a British publication might write “re-evaluation” in the same sentence. Both forms appear regularly in professional and academic writing across industries. Neither spelling is wrong — the only real rule is to pick one form and stick with it throughout your document. Merriam-Webster, the AP Stylebook, and the Chicago Manual of Style all list the unhyphenated form as standard for American English. Switching between both spellings in the same piece looks like a mistake, even if each form is technically fine on its own.
Is “Reevaluation” or “Re-evaluation” Correct?
TL;DR: Both are correct. American style guides use “reevaluation” without a hyphen. British English uses “re-evaluation” with one. Pick one form and use it all the way through your document.
Both spellings are correct. Which one to use depends on your style guide and your audience. In American English, the prefix “re-” usually attaches directly to the root word. Merriam-Webster is the main dictionary for American publishers, and it lists “reevaluation” as the standard form. The AP Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style take the same approach: no hyphen unless it prevents confusion with a different word.
British English works the other way. A hyphen between “re” and “evaluation” is normal in UK publications, academic journals, and British business writing.
Some American writers add the hyphen just to break up the double “e” — re + evaluation gives you “reevaluation,” which some people find harder to read quickly. That is a personal choice, not a grammar rule. When editing for both American and British publishers, I apply whichever style the publisher specifies.
“Reevaluation” vs “Re-evaluation” in Practice: Usage Examples
Correct Usage Examples
Each example matches the right style for its context.
American business writing: “The board called for a reevaluation of the company’s pricing strategy.” — no hyphen, standard for American corporate documents.
British academic writing: “The paper proposes a re-evaluation of existing climate models.” — hyphenated, consistent with British journal style.
American policy writing: “A reevaluation of the program is scheduled for the third quarter.” — formal American English, no hyphen needed.
Informal American use: “After the new data came in, a reevaluation seemed necessary.” — no hyphen, natural in American English at any level of formality.
Mixed-audience document: “This report uses ‘reevaluation’ throughout, following Merriam-Webster.” — a short style note at the top keeps the whole document consistent.
Writing for both US and UK readers: “This document uses ‘reevaluation’ (US spelling) throughout; British readers may prefer ‘re-evaluation.'” — one note clears up any confusion.
In corporate strategy documents I’ve reviewed, the unhyphenated form is standard across American firms, regardless of industry.
Incorrect Usage Examples
These are real errors, not just style differences.
- Incorrect: “re evaluation of the proposal”
Correct: “reevaluation of the proposal” or “re-evaluation of the proposal”
Why: A space between “re” and “evaluation” is never correct in any dialect. - Incorrect: “revaluation of the findings”
Correct: “reevaluation of the findings”
Why: “Revaluation” is a different word. It means adjusting a currency or asset value in finance. One missing “e” changes the meaning completely. - Incorrect: “The first section used ‘re-evaluation’; the conclusion used ‘reevaluation.'”
Correct: Use one form throughout the document.
Why: Using both forms in the same piece looks careless, even if each one is technically acceptable. - Incorrect: “reevalaution” or “re-evalution”
Correct: “reevaluation” or “re-evaluation”
Why: Swapping or dropping letters in the root word “evaluation” creates a misspelling that no style guide accepts.
Context Variations
How the right choice changes by context.
Following AP Style: Use “reevaluation.” AP drops hyphens from re- prefix words unless the hyphen prevents confusion.
Following Chicago style: Use “reevaluation.” Chicago lists common re- compounds without hyphens.
Writing for a British audience: Use “re-evaluation.” That is the expected form in UK publications and British style.
No style guide specified: Default to Merriam-Webster and use “reevaluation.” Note the choice at the top of your document so every editor uses the same form.
Why Do Writers Add or Drop the Hyphen in Reevaluation?
| Error Pattern | Incorrect | Correct |
| Space instead of hyphen | re evaluation | reevaluation / re-evaluation |
| Dropped letter — different word | revaluation | reevaluation |
| Inconsistent forms in one doc | mix of both | choose one form throughout |
| Hyphen in American formal writing | re-evaluation (AP doc) | reevaluation |
| Unhyphenated in British context | reevaluation (UK journal) | re-evaluation |
Two things cause most of these errors. First, many writers read both American and British sources. They see both spellings often and start using both without noticing. Second, some spellcheck tools flag “reevaluation” because of the double “e” and suggest “re-evaluation” as a fix. That suggestion is not wrong, but it is not always right for the audience either.
In American-published documents I’ve reviewed, the unhyphenated form appears in roughly nine out of ten manuscripts. Almost all the hyphenated cases came from writers with British training or from a house style that required it.
How to Remember the Right Spelling
Two simple checks that take seconds.
The Merriam-Webster test. When your style guide is not specified, look it up in Merriam-Webster. For “reevaluation,” M-W lists the unhyphenated form as the standard American spelling. That is your safe default.
The audience shorthand. American readers expect “reevaluation.” British readers expect “re-evaluation.” If you know your audience, the form follows naturally. If you do not, go with Merriam-Webster and note it on your style sheet.
In editing workshops, I write both spellings on the board and ask which one looks like a typo. Most people trained in American English point to the hyphenated version. That matches what Merriam-Webster recommends.
Conclusion
Choosing between “reevaluation” and “re-evaluation” is a style call, not a grammar test. American English uses no hyphen; British English does. What matters in practice is picking one form and using it all the way through your document.
If the choice is yours to make, “reevaluation” is the standard American spelling and Merriam-Webster confirms it. Note the form on your style sheet at the start of any project. That one step prevents the inconsistency that looks like a proofreading miss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are correct. “Reevaluation” is standard in American English. “Re-evaluation” is standard in British English. Use whichever one matches your style guide and apply it throughout your document.
AP Style drops hyphens from re- prefix words unless the hyphen prevents confusion with a different word. For “reevaluation,” AP follows Merriam-Webster and uses no hyphen.
No. “Revaluation” is a finance term for adjusting the value of a currency or asset. “Reevaluation” means looking at something again. One missing “e” changes the meaning entirely.
Not in American English. Adding a hyphen to break up the double “e” is a personal readability choice, not a grammar rule. Both forms are accepted, but Merriam-Webster lists the unhyphenated form as the American standard.
Pick one form at the start and add it to your style sheet. Run a find-and-replace check before you publish. Most word processors also let you add your preferred spelling to the custom dictionary settings.
