How Do You Spell Resume? Résumé vs Resume vs Resumé

Updated September 22, 2026. Dictionary entries below were checked against the linked sources on this date.

In short: the job document can be spelled résumé, resume or resumé — all three are accepted in American English. Merriam-Webster lists *résumé* as the headword, *resume* as a standard variant and *resumé* as "less commonly" used. For a job application in the US, *resume* (no accents) and *résumé* (two accents) are both safe; pick one and use it consistently. In British English the document is usually called a CV, not a résumé.

How do you spell resume correctly?

All three forms are in the dictionary; they differ only in how common they are.

Merriam-Webster's entry also gives the plurals: résumés or resumes, "also resumés". Whatever spelling you choose for the singular, keep the plural consistent with it.

What is the difference between résumé and resume?

In meaning, none — for the job document they are the same word. The accents exist to separate the noun from the verb, which is spelled identically:

• resume (verb, pronounced ri-ZOOM): to begin again after a pause — "Talks will resume on Monday."
• résumé (noun, pronounced REZ-uh-may): a short account of your career and qualifications — "Send your résumé by Friday."

In a job-search context the two are rarely confused, which is why the unaccented resume is so widely used. The accents earn their keep in sentences where both meanings could fit, such as a headline like "Resume writing after a career break."

Is it résumé or CV in the UK?

In British English the job document is usually a CV (curriculum vitae). Cambridge marks the job sense of résumé as US, with "UK CV" alongside it, and Collins labels that sense "mainly US", noting that British English usually uses curriculum vitae. British speakers do use résumé in its older sense of "a short summary" — a résumé of a meeting or a speech.

In the US, a CV usually means something different: a longer academic document with publications, grants and teaching. If you are applying across borders, follow the word the job posting uses.

Where does the word résumé come from?

From French. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, English borrowed résumé in 1804 meaning "a summary, summing up, recapitulation." It is the noun use of the past participle of French résumer, "to sum up," which comes from Latin resumere, "to take up again" (re- "again" + sumere "to take"). The meaning "biographical summary of a person's career" dates from the 1940s.

The accents are simply the French spelling carried over: é signals that both of those e's are sounded (ré-su-mé). English often drops accents from borrowed words over time, and the unaccented form is now an accepted variant in its own right.

How do you type the accent in résumé?

The character is é, a lowercase e with an acute accent. The standard shortcuts:

If you use the accented form, put both accents in: résumé. Using only the final one gives you resumé, the least common variant.

Which spelling should you use on your resume and cover letter?

Any of the three is correct; what reads as careless is mixing them. A few practical rules:

1.Be consistent across your resume, cover letter, email and LinkedIn profile. Choose resume or résumé and search your documents for the other.

2.Match the audience. If a posting or company writes résumé, mirroring it costs nothing. For UK, Irish and many European employers, say CV.

3.Keep file names plain. Name the file something like `Jane-Doe-Resume.pdf`. Accented characters in file names and URLs can be mangled by some systems, and the word in the file name carries no style points.

4.Don't title the page "Resume" at all. The document's heading should be your name; the reader already knows what they are holding.

Spelling of this one word will not decide an application — spelling mistakes elsewhere might. Before you send, run the file through the resume checker for ATS compatibility and read it aloud once to catch typos. If you are still assembling the page, start in the AI resume builder; our guide to resume fonts and formatting covers the rest of the typography. For wording and structure by job title, browse the resume examples.

Frequently asked questions

Is "resume" without accents wrong?

No. Merriam-Webster lists resume as a variant of résumé joined by "or" (an equal variant), and Cambridge's American dictionary gives "also resume."

Is "resumé" with one accent correct?

It is accepted but less common. Merriam-Webster lists it as a variant used "less commonly," and Collins lists it as well. If you want accents, the fuller form résumé is the more standard choice.

How do you pronounce résumé?

Merriam-Webster gives REZ-uh-may first, and also lists versions stressed on the last syllable (rez-uh-MAY) and versions beginning ray-. The verb resume is pronounced ri-ZOOM.

What is the plural of résumé?

• Résumés or resumes; Merriam-Webster also lists resumés*. Match the plural to the singular spelling you use.

Should I capitalize résumé?

Only where any common noun would be capitalized — at the start of a sentence or in a title-case heading. Mid-sentence it is lowercase: "I attached my résumé."

Is a résumé the same as a CV?

In British English, yes — the job document is called a CV. In American English they differ: a résumé is a short, targeted summary (usually one or two pages), while a CV is a longer, complete academic record.