Check vs. Cheque – Difference & Definition

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Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

One of the most confusing pairs of words in English is check vs. cheque, which both mean a document used to pay from someone’s bank account. But the word check has a double meaning.

Read on to learn the difference between a check and cheque. These words may have the same meaning. But if you’re following a specific style guide, make sure to choose the correct spelling!

Check vs. Cheque: What’s the Difference?

Check and cheque are both used in financial contexts. These words can refer to a document used to pay from a person’s account. However, British English prefers the spelling cheque, while American English uses check. This Ngram shows the variable usage of check and cheque.

Check vs. Cheque Ngram
American check and cheque usage trend.

Check may be more widely used because it has several other meanings as a noun and verb.

image
British trend.

Definitions for Check 

Aside from referring to a financial document used to pay something from one’s bank account, the standard spelling of check as a noun may also mean:

  • A ticket that shows ownership or an amount due.
  • Something that retrains.
  • A symbol or mark placed beside an item to show that it has been done, examined, verified, or noted.
  • An examination or inspection.
  • A situation in the game of chess where a king is at risk of capture.
  • The act of hitting another player in hockey.

Check can also be a verb that means:

  • To conduct an examination or inspection.
  • To put a mark beside something to indicate that it is noted or finished.
  • To put on a limit or restraint.
  • To hit another player in hockey.

Here are some phrases that use check.

  • Check in – to examine something, verify one’s satisfaction, or register at an airport or hotel
  • Checkup a medical examination
  • In check under control
  • Check outto remove a book from a library, to pay for items ordered online

Cheque Definition

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Cheque is an alternate spelling of the noun check, which refers to a document used to pay from a person’s account. In Australia and New Zealand, it may also mean wage.

We only use cheque in a financial sense if you are a writer in the UK or Australia. Use check if you want to use the American spelling.

We do not use it for phrases like fact check, check against, check for, and check in.

The words chequer, which means checkerboard, and exchequer, which means a government accounting office, originated from cheque.

Examples of Check Used in a Sentence

  • I have to check on supper, it should be done soon.
  • Don’t forget to call the dentist and book your next check-up and cleaning.
  • Orr made a phone call, or made an appearance, or maybe wrote a check for someone who needed the help but didn’t ask for it. That’s the Orr way, and for most of his life, that’s been the only way. (The Athletic)
  • After a distant cousin wrote a check to pay for the adoption of a child in Iowa, a woman took it upon herself to help other families seeking to make their family permanent on paper. (CBS News)

Examples of Cheque in a Sentence

  • My ex-husband wrote fraudulent cheques for years before I discovered what he was doing.
  • I prefer using cheques as an alternative to cash or bank cards.
  • I’ll just write the cheque out to cash.
  • As the years progressed, and warnings of postal security began to hit the headlines, the Pound note began to be replaced with a personal cheque often with a fancy background of woodland creatures or something similar. (Finextra)
  • Klein, who is also taking over Credit Suisse’s spun-off investment bank, walked away with a $1.5bn cheque. (Financial Times)

Check vs. Cheque: A Summary

The spelling of check remains a hard one to remember because it has two meanings. Check can be a noun or verb, while cheque only has one meaning. It’s important to know when you should use each. Here are some quick tips to remember.

  • Use check in financial contexts if you want to use the American spelling.
  • Use cheque in financial contexts if you want to use the British spelling.

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