Hyphenated words in titles can feel like speed bumps. You’re cruising along in title case, then you hit state-of-the-art and suddenly you’re stuck asking about title capitalization, “Do I cap every part, or only some of them?”
The good news is you don’t need to consult style guides or memorize a whole style manual to capitalize hyphenated words correctly. You just need a repeatable process and a few pattern-based examples you can copy.
The one idea that makes hyphenated title case click
Think of hyphenated compounds as small chains. Each link matters, but not every link gets the same treatment.
In most title case systems, you capitalize “major words” (parts of speech like nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns) and lowercase “minor words” (articles like a, an, the; short prepositions like of, in, to; and coordinating conjunctions like and, or, but). Title case rules often depend on specific style guides. APA Style lays out this major versus minor split clearly in its title case capitalization rules.
For hyphenated compounds, the practical rule is:
- Cap the first element of the hyphenated word.
- Cap the second (and third) element only if it would be capped on its own in your chosen Title Case rules.
- Keep minor words lowercase when they appear as later elements (unless your style guide says otherwise).
That’s how you get:
- State-of-the-Art Design (not State-Of-The-Art)
- Editor-in-Chief (not Editor-In-Chief)
- End-to-End Encryption (not End-To-End Encryption)
Now let’s turn that into a quick, repeatable method.
Step-by-Step Rules for Title Capitalization of Hyphenated Words
Use these steps in order for effective title capitalization. They work for headlines, blog post titles, email subject lines, and section headers.
- Capitalize the first element no matter what.
In most title capitalization systems, first and last words are generally capitalized. Even if the first piece is normally “minor,” it’s the start of the hyphenated unit.
Example: Up-to-Date Records (Up is capped because it leads the compound). - Decide if each later element is “major” or “minor.”
Ask: If this word were standing alone in the title, would I capitalize it? Major words include those you capitalize nouns, capitalize verbs, capitalize adjectives, capitalize adverbs, and capitalize pronouns.
Examples:- Major word, capitalize it: Well-Known Author, High-Stakes Negotiation
- Minor word, keep it lowercase: State-of-the-Art, Cost-of-Living Increase
- If the compound has three parts, apply the same logic to the third.
This is where many titles go wrong. Subordinating conjunctions are often treated differently than simple prepositions.
Examples:- Mother-in-Law Etiquette (in stays lowercase)
- Run-of-the-Mill Problems (of, the stay lowercase)
- Treat prefixes as attached, but don’t ignore the second element.
For common prefix compounds like non-profit or pre-existing, the second part is usually a major word, so it gets capped in Title Case when handling compound elements:- Non-Profit Fundraising Basics
- Pre-Existing Conditions Explained
If you’re unsure whether a form should even be hyphenated, APA Style’s hyphenation principles are a solid reference.
- Respect proper nouns, brand styling, and fixed terms.
Some proper nouns have “official” casing or expected casing, even in titles. If changing the caps makes it look wrong or changes meaning, keep the standard form.
These steps cover most real writing. The next section gives examples by category, including the tricky edge cases.
Examples by type (so you can copy the pattern)
Hyphenated adjectives before nouns
These often contain strong “major” words, so both parts are usually capped. This rule applies broadly across various style guides.
- A Well-Known Artist’s Second Album
- High-Stakes Poker Nights
- Last-Minute Changes to the Schedule
- A Two-Parent Household Study (hyphenated adjective before the noun)
Hyphenated nouns and job titles
Many include short prepositions, which typically stay lowercase.
- Meet the Editor-in-Chief
- Talking to Your Mother-in-Law
- A Guide for Sister-in-Law Gifts
- The Attorney-at-Law Tradition (at stays lowercase)
Hyphenated prefixes (pre-, non-, self-, re-)
In titles, these usually become “Cap both parts” because the second part is a major word.
- Self-Esteem and Social Media
- Non-Profit Board Roles
- Pre-Existing Risk Factors
- Re-Entry Programs That Work (if you choose to hyphenate it)
Hyphenated proper nouns and proper adjectives
Cap what’s proper in these proper nouns, then apply the compound rule, as outlined in major style guides.
- New York-Based Designers
- African-American Literature in Context
- U.S.-China Trade Talks (both abbreviations stay capped)
Hyphenated numbers (spelled out and numeric)
Numbers bring two common situations: spelled-out numbers (including simple fractions) and number plus noun compounds.
- Twenty-One Ways to Save Time
- A Twenty-First-Century Skill Set (note the three-part compound)
- 21st-Century Teaching Methods
- A 10-Year-Old Laptop’s Battery Life
- Two-Thirds Majority Support
Edge cases readers actually notice
Some hyphenated terms have standard casing that people expect. Consistent title case is the goal for these specialized terms.
| Term in running text | Typical Title Case | Example title |
|---|---|---|
| X-ray | X-Ray | X-Ray Results Explained |
| T-shirt | T-Shirt | The Best T-Shirt Fabrics for Summer |
| e-commerce | E-Commerce (or E-commerce) | E-Commerce Returns and Refunds |
| COVID-19-related | COVID-19-Related | COVID-19-Related Policy Updates |
For e-commerce, casing varies by house style. Pick one and stick with it, especially across a site or publication.
Style-guide differences (quick comparison box)
Different style guides agree on the big idea, but they don’t match on every edge case. If you publish for clients, schools, or newsrooms, align with the style guide they expect. For deeper reference, see the Chicago Manual of Style, the MLA Handbook, and the Associated Press Stylebook.
Style-guide snapshot (simplified):
Chicago Manual of Style and MLA Handbook often capitalize the second element when it feels like a “real word” in the title, but they may lowercase short function words inside hyphenated compounds (like of, in, the), while capitalizing prepositions of four letters or more.
APA focuses on major versus minor words and treats later hyphenated elements the same way, so a minor word after a hyphen can stay lowercase.
Associated Press Stylebook is headline-driven and practical, using a headline style that differs from the sentence case often used in other contexts; it can be stricter about what counts as “minor,” and it updates guidance frequently.
If you’re switching between style guides, don’t trust your memory. Use one guide per project.
Consistency rules for teams (house style that won’t won’t drift)
A team’s biggest enemy isn’t “wrong,” it’s “random.” Rely on style guides to set a house rule so every writer formats hyphenated titles the same way.
- Pick one of the style guides such as APA Style, Chicago Manual of Style, MLA Handbook, or the Associated Press Stylebook and write it down in your editorial notes.
- Choose an e-commerce style (E-Commerce vs E-commerce) and lock it in.
- Decide on internal hyphen behavior, like whether you keep State-of-the-Art with lowercase of and the.
- Decide on title case versus sentence case and specify it in your house style documents.
- Ensure consistency for subtitles as well as main titles.
- Create a short exceptions list for terms you use a lot (X-Ray, T-Shirt, COVID-19-Related, U.S.-China).
- Spot-check headings, because titles tend to get edited by many hands.
When your rules are clear, titles stop being a debate and start being a repeatable format.
Conclusion
Title capitalization is a key part of professional writing. Hyphenated title capitalization gets easier when you treat each hyphenated part like its own word, then apply your normal title case rules. Prioritize the first and last words, capitalize major words in later elements, and keep short conjunctions lowercase inside the compound (unless your chosen guide says to cap them). With a simple house style, your hyphenated titles will look clean, consistent, and intentional across every page.
