You might be surprised to learn that there’s a difference between “fiancé” and “fiancée”—not in pronunciation, but in meaning. We’ll show you how to use these words correctly by reviewing their definitions and providing example sentences.
“Fiancé” or “Fiancée”: Quick Summary
Fiancé is the correct spelling to refer to “a man whom someone is engaged to marry.” On the other hand, fiancée is the correct spelling to refer to “a woman whom someone is engaged to marry.”
- My fiancé wants all of his brothers to be his groomsmen.
- I am surprising my fiancée with a new puppy, which looks just like one she had during her childhood.
Table of Contents
When To Use “Fiancé”
When To Use “Fiancée”
Synonyms for “Fiancé” and “Fiancée”
You’re engaged! Now you want to share this momentous occasion with the online world, but you wonder if the correct term to use is fiancé or fiancée.
Or maybe you’re just here to prove someone wrong. (Some would say that’s just as important.)
In any case, we’ll explain the difference between the terms fiancé and fiancée and provide example sentences to show you how to use them correctly.
Let’s begin!
When To Use “Fiancé”
Fiancé is a noun that refers to a “man who is engaged to be married.” It’s a loanword—or word taken from another language with little to no modification—that we borrowed from French.
Fiancé is pronounced like fee-ahn-SAY and should always be spelled with an “-é” (acute accent).
My fiance is obsessed with fantasy football.
My fiancé is obsessed with fantasy football.
Fiancé:
Here are a few example sentences that use the word fiancé correctly.
My fiancé, Matt, has been very helpful during the wedding planning process.
I told her that my favorite thing about my fiancé is his humor because I spend my days laughing!
They say opposites attract; my fiancé is an introvert, and I’m an extrovert.
My fiancé’s birthday is tomorrow, so I have to get him a cake.
I want to surprise my fiancé by booking his favorite band for the wedding.
When To Use “Fiancée”
Fiancée is defined as a “woman who is engaged to be married.” It’s a common mistake for people to use fiancé to refer to their future wives.
My fiancé would like to incorporate her dogs into the wedding.
My fiancée would like to incorporate her dogs into the wedding.
This error is understandable, as fiancé and fiancée are homophones, so they’re pronounced identically (the final “e” is silent).
Fiancée:
Below are a few example sentences that contain the word fiancée.
My fiancée will get her hair and makeup done by her cousin.
I surprised my fiancée with tickets to her favorite Broadway show.
My fiancée loves books, so I’m taking her on a road trip to visit the oldest bookstores in the state.
My girlfriend said yes, so now she’s my fiancée!
Today, she’s my fiancée, but next month she’ll officially be my wife!
Synonyms for “Fiancé” and “Fiancée”
If you’re looking for general terms you can use instead of fiancé and fiancée, you can try any of the following phrases.
Betrothed
Betrothed can function as a noun or adjective. As a noun, it refers to “the person one will be marrying.”
In my eyes, my betrothed is the most beautiful person in the world.
Spouse-to-be
Spouse can mean either “husband” or “wife.” Therefore, spouse-to-be refers to “someone who will soon be married.”
Please forgive my spouse-to-be; she’s always late.
Intended
Intended can be used to mean “the person to whom another is engaged to be married.”
My intended will be arriving shortly.
Recap
Fiancé is the word you use to refer to your (or someone else’s) future husband. If you want to refer to a future wife, use fiancée (but remember that they’re pronounced the same).
And one last thing: If you need help writing vows that will make your fiancé or fiancée weep tears of happiness, make sure to use LanguageTool. This advanced, multilingual writing assistant will ensure your tone and style are just right for your big day. Try it out yourself!
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Gina
Gina holds a Bachelor of Arts in English. With a passion for creating art with words, she spends her free time reading and writing. And no, we didn’t force her to say that. You can find her strolling the shorelines with her loyal canine companion, Mango, or (painfully) cheering on her favorite team, the Miami Dolphins.
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