Check or cheque?
check is a noun meaning “An inspection or examination”; cheque is a noun meaning “A written order directing a bank to pay money to a person or entity”. They sound the same (/t͡ʃɛk/). In written English (wordfreq, 2021 data) check is about 66 times as common as cheque.
What is the difference between check and cheque?
| check | cheque | |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | noun, verb, interjection, adjective | noun |
| Meaning | An inspection or examination A control; a limit or stop To inspect; to examine | CommonwealthIrelandUKA written order directing a bank to pay money to a person or entity CanadaA bill to be paid, particularly in a restaurant |
| Example | I don't know if she will be there, but it's worth a check | I was not carrying cash, so I wrote a cheque for the amount |
| Forms | checks | cheques |
| Pronunciation | /t͡ʃɛk/ [t͡ʃʰɛk̚] | /t͡ʃɛk/ |
| In writing | 204 times per million words | 3.1 times per million words |
Sources: check and cheque in the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
Every current meaning of check and cheque
check
- 1
An inspection or examination
I don't know if she will be there, but it's worth a check
- 2
To inspect; to examine
Check the oil in your car once a month
- 3
An expression showing that a requirement has been satisfied
Keys? Check. Batteries? Check. We are all ready to go!
- 4
A pattern made up of a grid of squares of alternating colors; a checkered pattern
The tablecloth had red and white checks
- 5
To mark with a check pattern
- 6
IndiaAlternative form of chick (“window blind or door screen”)
- 7
A control; a limit or stop
checks and balances
- 8
To verify the accuracy of a text or translation, usually making some corrections (proofread) or many (copyedit)
cheque
- 1
CommonwealthIrelandUKA written order directing a bank to pay money to a person or entity
I was not carrying cash, so I wrote a cheque for the amount
- 2
CanadaA bill to be paid, particularly in a restaurant
I summoned the waiter, paid the cheque, and hurried to leave
Source: the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); obsolete, archaic, dialect and rare senses left out.
Which is more common, check or cheque?
check appears 204 times per million words; cheque 3.1 times per million words.
check 204 times per million wordscheque 3.1 times per million words
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How many people search check vs cheque?
“check vs cheque” is searched about 1,300 times a month on Google and 90 on Bing in the United States. Google counts close variants of a query together (“cheque vs check”, “check or cheque”).
Sources: Google Ads keyword data through DataForSEO and Microsoft Advertising keyword data through DataForSEO, the average month from September 2025 to August 2026.