Labelled or Labeled | Difference & Examples

Labelled and labeled are two different spellings of the past tense of the verblabel,” referring to the act of attaching a label or identifying marker to something. The verb is also used negatively to refer to the act of assigning someone or something to a specific category.

The spelling tends to vary based on whether you’re using UK or US English:

  • In US English, “labeled” (one “l”) is standard.
  • In UK English, “labelled” (double “l”) is correct.
Examples: Labeled and labelled in a sentence
Many items were labeled/labelled incorrectly.

Even though the two politicians labeled/labelled each other dangerous, they were quite alike in their beliefs.

All of Niamh’s files were meticulously labeled/labelled.

When you’ve labeled/labelled the new products, please put them on the shelves.

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Labelling or labeling

The same spelling distinction applies to the present participle (“-ing”) forms of the verb.

  • In US English, it’s “labeling” (one “l”).
  • In UK English, it’s “labelling” (double “l”).
Examples: Labelling and labeling in a sentence
Gus is currently labeling/labelling the different types of baked goods.

The media has been unfairly labeling/labelling Charlie as a callous thief.

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If you want to know more about commonly confused words, definitions, and differences between US and UK spellings, make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

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Ryan, E. (2023, March 14). Labelled or Labeled | Difference & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 30, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/us-vs-uk/labelled-or-labeled/

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Eoghan Ryan

Eoghan has a lot of experience with theses and dissertations at bachelor's, MA, and PhD level. He has taught university English courses, helping students to improve their research and writing.