AP Style DEF

damage, damages

Damage is destruction or loss: Authorities said the storm caused more than $1 billion in damage.

Damages are awarded by a court as compensation for injury, loss, etc.: The woman received $25,000 in damages.

data

The word typically takes singular verbs and pronouns when writing for general audiences and in data journalism contexts: The data is sound. In scientific and academic writing, plural verbs and pronouns are preferred.

Use databank and database, but data processing (n. and adj.) and data center.

datelines

Datelines on stories should contain a place name, entirely in capital letters, followed in most cases by the name of the state, country or territory where the city is located.

dates

When a month is used with a specific date, abbreviate only Jan. Spell out when using alone, or with a year alone. His birthday was June 8. The crash occured on Friday, Dec. 3. January 4th was the date.

daughter-in-law; daughters-in-law;

daughter-in-law; daughters-in-law;

daylight saving time

not saving, no hyphen. when linking term with time zone, only capitalize daylight Eastern Daylight Time. daylight saving time is always lowercase.

days of the week

Capitalize them. Do not abbreviate, except when needed in a tabular format: Sun, Mon,

dean

Capitalize when used as a formal title before a name: Dean John Jones

Lowercase in other uses: John Jones, dean of the college; the dean.

death, die

Don't use euphemisms like passed on or passed away except in a direct quotation.

decades

Use Arabic figures to indicate decades of history. Use an apostrophe to indicate numerals that are left out; show plural by adding the letter s: the 1890s, the '90s, the Gay '90s, the 1920s, the mid-1930s.

Deep South

Capitalize both words when referring to the region that consists of Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina.

defense attorney

always lowercase, never abbreviate

democrat, Democratic

For the U.S. political party, capitalize Democratic in references to the Democratic Party and capitalize Democrat for a member of that party.

lowercase in general uses: He champions the values of a democratic society.

demolish, destory

Both mean to do away with something completely. Something cannot be partially demolished or destroyed. It is redundant to say totally demolished or totally destroyed.

department

Lowercase department in plural uses, but capitalize the proper name element: the departments of Labor and Justice. The Department of Labor. lowercase when it stands alone, never abbreviate.

deputy

capitalize as a formal title before a name.

derogatory terms

Do not use a derogatory term except in extremely rare circumstances — when it is crucial to the story or the understanding of a news event. Flag the contents in an editor's note.

different

To differ from means to be unlike. To differ with means to disagree.

differ from/with

To differ from means to be unlike. To differ with means to disagree.

dimensions

Use figures and spell out inches, feet, yards, etc., to indicate depth, height, length and width. Hyphenate adjectival forms before nouns.

He is 5 feet, 6 inches tall, the 5-foot-6-inch man, the 5-foot man, the basketball team signed a 7-footer.

directions and regions

In general, lowercase north, south, northeast, northern, etc., when they indicate compass direction; capitalize these words when they designate regions.

Some examples: He drove west. The storm will hit the Midwest. It is in southern Australia.

disabilties

Do not use euphemisms such as handi-capable, differently abled or physically challengedUse care and precision, considering the impact of specific words and the terms used by the people you are writing about.

diseases

Do not capitalize diseases such as cancer, emphysema, leukemia, hepatitis, etc.

When a disease is known by the name of a person or geographical area identified with it, capitalize only the proper noun element: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Ebola virus disease, etc.

disinterested, uniterested

Disinterested means impartial, which is usually the better word to convey the thought.

Uninterested means that someone lacks interest.

distances

Always use figures: He walked 4 miles.

district

Always spell it out. Use a figure and capitalize district when forming a proper name: the 2nd District.

doctor

Use Dr. in first reference as a formal title before the name of an individual who holds a doctor of dental surgery, doctor of medicine, doctor of optometry, doctor of osteopathic medicine, doctor of podiatric medicine, or doctor of veterinary medicine: Dr. Jonas Salk.

Don’t use Dr. for people who don’t have medical degrees. Caleb White, who has a doctorate in mathematics, was lead researcher.

dollars

Always lowercase. Use figures and the $ sign in all except casual references or amounts without a figure: The book cost $4. Dad, please give me a dollar. Dollars are flowing overseas.

do’s and don’ts

do’s and don’ts

Dow Jones industrial average

Always use the full name on first reference in stories. On subsequent references, use the Dow.

Notes from the AP Editors

• October 23, 2011: Added to Stylebook
  June 22, 2018: Updated to capitalize "Industrial Average."

Ask the Editor: DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE

Why is AP style Dow Jones industrial average, when the DJIA's owner, S&P Dow Jones Indices, and most other media organizations use...

---

No question; no need to reply; just anal-retentive copy editing for consistency. You're probably aware of this and it's on a future...

driver’s license(s)

proper tense is: driver’s license(s)

drive-thru

drive-thru (noun and adjective)

drowned, was drowned

If a person suffocates in water or other fluid, the proper statement is that the individual drowned. To say that someone was drowned implies that another person caused the death by holding the victim's head under the water.

drugs

Acceptable as a term for both prescribed products and illicit substances. Avoid narcotic or narcotics in general references since narcotics can be prescribed or illegal. Capitalize brand names; lowercase generics.

drunk, drunken, drunkenness

Drunk is the spelling of the adjective used after a form of the verb to be: He was drunk.

Drunken is the spelling of the adjective used before nouns: a drunken driver, drunken driving.

DUI, DWI

driving under the influence - driving while intoxicated; follow official state useage

dyeing, dying

Dyeing refers to changing colors. Dying refers to death.

earbuds, earphones, headphones, headsets

earbuds, earphones, headphones, headsets

Earth

Capitalize when used as the proper name of the planet, lowercase for other uses. The rocket launched from Earth. He hopes to move heaven and earth.

earthquakes

Magnitudes are usually reported simply as magnitude 6.7 (or 6.7 magnitude), for example. Do not use hyphens when the magnitude is used as a modifier: a magnitude 6.7 quake, a 6.7 magnitude quake.

e-book

A book or publication in electronic form, often sold digitally and commonly read on a hand-held device called an e-reader or on an e-reader app on a smartphone, tablet or PC.

E. coli

Acceptable in all references for the bacteria called Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacteria. Infections can be caused by contaminated food or water.

effect

Effect, as a verb, means to cause: He will effect many changes in the company.

Effect, as a noun, means result: The effect was overwhelming. He miscalculated the effect of his actions. It was a law of little effect.

either

Use it to mean one or the other, not both.

Right: She said to use either door.

Wrong: There were lions on either side of the door.

either…or, neither…nor

The nouns that follow these words do not constitute a compound subject; they are alternate subjects and require a verb that agrees with the nearer subject:

Neither they nor he is going. Neither he nor they are going.

elderly

For its use in religious contexts, see the entry for an individual's denomination.

election returns

Use figures, with commas every three digits starting at the right and counting left. Use the word to (not a hyphen) in separating different totals listed together: Jimmy Carter outpolled Gerald Ford 40,827,292 to 39,146,157 in 1976.

Use the word votes if there is any possibility that the figures could be confused with a ratio: Nixon outpolled McGovern 16 votes to 3 votes in Dixville Notch.

Election Day, election night

The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

Electoral College

But electoral vote(s), lowercase. The process by which the United States selects its president.

email

Acceptable in all references for electronic mail. Also: esports. Use a hyphen with other e- terms: e-book, e-reader, e-commerce.

embarrass, embarrassed, embarrassment, embarrassing

embarrass, embarrassed, embarrassment, embarrassing

engine, motor

An engine develops its own power, usually through internal combustion or the pressure of air, steam or water passing over vanes attached to a wheel: an airplane engine, an automobile engine

A motor receives power from an outside source: an electric motor, a hydraulic motor.

entitled

Use it to mean a right to do or have something. Do not use it to mean titled.

Right: She was entitled to the promotion.

Right: The book was titled "Gone With the Wind."

epidemic, pandemic, endemic

An epidemic is the rapid spreading of disease in a certain population or region;

a pandemic is an epidemic that has spread wider, usually to multiple countries or continents, affecting a large number of people.

Endemic as an adjective refers to the constant presence of a disease. For example, malaria is endemic in some tropical regions.

ethanol

Fuel additive distilled from mashed and fermented grain. Gasoline blends are written as a percentage of ethanol, e.g., E85 for 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.

ethnic cleansing

Euphemism for a campaign to force a population from a region by expulsions and other violence often including killings and rapes

events

Titles of special events, such as art exhibits and touring displays, are enclosed in quotes with primary words capitalized: “Mummies: New Secrets From the Tombs” at Chicago’s Field Museum.

Names of annually recurring events are capitalized without quotes: North American International Auto Show in Detroit; Calgary Stampede.

every one, everyone

Two words when it means each individual item: Every one of the clues was worthless.

Farenheit

The temperature scale commonly used in the United States.

family names

capitalize terms like mom, dad and uncle when they are used in-place of a name. Hi Mom, it’s great to see you. I went to my grandmother’s house.

FAQ

Acceptable in all uses for frequently asked questions.

farmers market

No apostrophe.

farther, further

Farther refers to physical distance: He walked farther into the woods.

Further refers to an extension of time or degree: She will look further into the mystery.

faze, phase

Faze means to embarrass or disturb: The snub did not faze her.

Phase denotes an aspect or stage: They will phase in a new system.

FBI

Acceptable in all references for Federal Bureau of Investigation.

federal

Use a capital letter for the architectural style and for corporate or governmental bodies that use the word as part of their formal names: the Federal Trade Commission. lowercase when used to distinguish something from state, city, or private entities: federal assistance, federal court

Federal Reserve

central bank of the United States. Use Federal Reserve on first reference, the Fed on second reference.

female, male

In general, female and male are adjectives that can describe people of any age and are used only rarely as nouns, such as for a range of ages or an unknown age. Avoid using male and female as modifiers that could convey assumptions about gender roles, such as male nurse, male nanny, female bodybuilder, etc.

fewer, less

In general, use fewer for individual items, less for bulk or quantity.

Fiberglas

Note the single s. A trademark for fiberglass or glass fiber.

figuratively, literally

Figuratively means in an analogous sense, but not in the exact sense. He bled them white.

Literally means in an exact sense; do not use it figuratively.

Wrong: He literally bled them white. (Unless the blood was drained from their bodies.)

firearms, guns, assault weapons

Be as specific as possible about the types of guns at issue in any given law or story.

Use more generalized descriptions, such as rifle or handgun, until such details become available.
Avoid the terms military-style rifles or modern sporting rifles

firefighter

The preferred term to describe a person who fights fire.

first lady, first gentleman

An informal reference for the spouse of the president; not an official title. Always lowercase

first responders

Acceptable in general references to police, fire, medical, hazmat or other professionals who respond to emergencies.

flack, flak

Flack is slang for press agent. Avoid using in copy.

Flak is a type of anti-aircraft fire, hence figuratively a barrage of criticism.

flier, flyer

Flyer is the preferred term for a person flying in an aircraft, and for handbills: He used his frequent flyer miles; they put up flyers announcing the show. Use flier in the phrase take a flier, meaning to take a big risk.

flounder, founder

A flounder is a fish; to flounder is to move clumsily or jerkily, to flop about: The fish floundered on land.

To founder is to bog down, become disabled or sink: The ship floundered in the heavy seas for hours, then foundered.

food

Most food names are lowercase: apples, cheese, peanut butter. Capitalize brand names and trademarks. Russian dressing, Swiss cheese

foot

The basic unit of length in the measuring system used in the United States.

forego, forgo

To forego means to go before, as in foregone conclusion.

To forgo means to abstain from, as in: He decided to forgo his senior year of eligibility.

foreign names

For foreign place names, use the primary spelling in Merriam-Webster.

fort

Do not abbreviate for cities or for military installations.

foul, fowl

Foul means offensive, out of line.

A fowl is a bird, especially the larger domestic birds used as food: chickens, ducks, turkeys.

fractions

Generally spell out amounts less than 1 in stories, using hyphens between the words: two-thirds, four-fifths, seven-sixteenths, etc.

Use figures for precise amounts larger than 1, converting to decimals whenever practical.

For mixed numbers, use 1 1/2, 2 5/8 with a full space between the number and the fractions.

french fries

Lowercase french because it refers to the style of cut, not the nation.

Frisbee

A trademark for a plastic disc thrown as a toy. Use Frisbee disc for the trademarked version and flying disc for other generic versions.

day care

Two words, no hyphen, in all uses.