Résumé With an Accent: Is It “Resume” or “Résumé”?
Both spellings are used in English, but they’re not really interchangeable — the accents exist specifically to keep “résumé” (the job-application document) visually distinct from “resume” (the verb meaning to continue). English borrowed the word from French, accents and all, and how much of that borrowing survives depends on which style guide or employer you’re writing for.
Two Different Words, One Spelling Without Accents
- résumé (noun) — a summary of your work history and qualifications, pronounced REZ-oo-may
- resume (verb) — to continue after a pause, pronounced ri-ZOOM
Drop both accents and “resume” could technically mean either one — context usually makes it clear, but the ambiguity is exactly why many style guides recommend keeping at least one accent on the noun.
What Style Guides Actually Recommend
There’s no single universal rule, which is why you’ll see all three forms in real use:
- résumé — both accents, the most traditionally “correct” form, closest to the original French
- resumé — one accent, common in American usage as a middle ground
- resume — no accents, increasingly common and generally accepted in casual and even professional American English
Major American style guides (AP, Chicago) have grown more permissive over time about dropping the accents in résumé the noun, largely because the surrounding context (a job application, a hiring email) almost always makes the meaning obvious without them. That said, some employers and academic/publishing contexts still expect the full “résumé” spelling, so it’s worth matching the convention used in whatever document or company you’re writing for.
Where This Actually Matters
In a sentence like “please resume your resume,” the lack of accents forces a reader to do extra work parsing which “resume” is which — a real, if minor, readability cost. Job-application contexts (a résumé itself, a cover letter, an email subject line) are where getting this right is most visible, since it’s the one document type most directly named by the word.
How to Type Résumé
- On Windows — hold Alt and type 0233 for é. Type it twice for both accents: r + Alt+0233 + sum + Alt+0233.
- On Mac — press Option+E, release, then type e — repeat for the second é.
- In Word — many versions autocorrect “resume” to “résumé” automatically in certain contexts; if not, use Insert > Symbol or the Alt code above.
- Fastest option — open the Accent Letters Generator or visit the E With an Accent page and copy é directly.
FAQ
Is it wrong to write “resume” with no accents on a job application?
Not strictly wrong by modern American usage standards, but “résumé” or “resumé” reads as more traditionally correct, and some employers or academic contexts still expect it.
Why does résumé have two accents instead of one?
Both syllables carry the accent in the original French word (résumé), so English borrowed both marks along with the word itself, even though many American writers now drop one or both.
How do I know if someone means “résumé” or “resume” (the verb) without accents?
Context almost always makes it clear — “resume work” is the verb, “attach your resume” is the noun — but the accented spelling removes the ambiguity entirely.
Does dropping the accent change the pronunciation?
Not in writing, but it does remove the visual cue that distinguishes the two-syllable noun (REZ-oo-may) from the verb (ri-ZOOM), which can slow a reader down for a moment.
What’s the safest choice for a job application?
When in doubt, “résumé” (both accents) is the safest, most traditionally correct choice and won’t look wrong in any context, even where it isn’t strictly required.
More Accented Letters
Browse E With an Accent for more on é specifically, or the full Accent Letters Generator.
