Is It ‘Ninty’ or ‘Ninety’?

Do you need to know whether 'ninty' or 'ninety' is correct? Read this guide!

Here is the short answer: 

• 'Ninty' is a common misspelling. 
• 'Ninety' is the correct way to spell 90. 

Keep reading to find out why 'ninety' is the right answer.

Is it 'Ninty' or 'Ninety?'

When it comes to whether 'ninty' or 'ninety' is correct, the former is incorrect, and the latter is correct. 'Ninety' is the written form of the number 90. 'Ninty' is not a recognized English word, so you should never use it.

The spelling of 'ninety' confuses some people because when numbers are converted into nouns that describe the tenth of that number, they sometimes change, for example:

• Two - Twenty
• Three - Thirty
• Four - Forty
• Five - Fifty
• Nine - Ninety

When to Use 90 vs. 'Ninety'

As a freelance writer, it is important to first refer to the style guide provided by your client. However, there are some times when you will not receive one, or you might be writing something personal. So, here are some tips to help you know when to use '90' and when to use 'ninety.'

• Use '90' when you are listing other numbers in numeric form.

For example, you might write:

The winners were numbers 71, 82, and 90. 

• Use 'ninety' when you are writing out other numbers.

As an example, I might write:

We only had seven visitors on Monday, but there were ninety today. 

• Use '90' if you are writing a mathematical equation.

For example, you might write this problem:

10 + 90 = 100

• Use 'ninety' if you are writing the lyrics to a song or a poem.

As an example, a songwriter might say:

They'd been together all their lives, and now that they were ninety, other people saw them withering and aging. 

• Use '90th' or 'ninetieth' when you are talking about a sequence of numbers or ordinals like 21st and 31st, including birthdays and anniversaries.

For example, you might say:

I was blessed to have the opportunity to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday. 

Or:

I was lucky enough to be able to spend my grandfather's ninetieth birthday with him. 

• Use '90s' or 'nineties' to reference the '90s' decade or years ranging from 1990 to 1999.

So, I might say:

I grew up in the 90s when kids waited excitedly all week to watch cartoons on Saturday morning. 

Or:

It is weird to think of how much has changed since the nineties. 

Definition of 'Ninety': What Does 'Ninety' Mean?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 'ninety' is a noun that means:

• The product of nine times ten

It can also mean:

• In the plural form, nineties, it means the decade which included 1990 through 1999
• The age of the nineties, which includes years 90 through 99 in someone's life

Ninety can also be an adjective and pronoun, as in the statement, 'We need 90 cups.'

Similar Words to 'Ninety'

Each tenth has a specific plural and singular name, for example:

• Ten - Tens
• Twenty - Twenties
• Thirty - Thirties
• Forty - Forties
• Fifty - Fifties
• Sixty - Sixties
• Seventy - Seventies
• Eighty - Eighties
• Ninety - Nineties
• Hundred - Hundreds

Pronunciation: How to Pronounce 'Ninety'

Now, let's look at the pronunciation of 'ninety.' Learning the correct pronunciation of terms is vital whether you are writing blog posts or greeting cards. When you learn correct pronunciation, it helps you commit the term to memory even if the spelling differs from the pronunciation.

So, here is a guide you can follow for pronunciation. 

• Use this phonetic spelling to pronounce 'ninety':

nīn-tē

As you can see, the pronunciation of this term adds to the confusion over whether the spelling is 'ninty' or 'ninety.' However, if the spelling was 'ninty' the pronunciation would be:

nin-tē instead of nīn-tē

The fact that 'ninety' is spelled with an e makes the pronunciation of the i a long i. 

As a reference, here are the pronunciations of other numbers like 90. 

• Twenty - twen-tē
• Thirty - thur-tē
• Forty - for-tē
• Fifty - fif-tē
• Sixty - siks-tē
• Seventy - se-vun-tē
• Eighty - āt-tē
• Ninety - nin-tē
• One Hundred - wun hun-drud

Sample Sentences Using 'Ninety' vs. '90' vs. 'Ninetieth' vs. '90th'

You learned that 'ninety' is the correct way to write '90.' However, it may still be unclear how you use these different versions of the number. So, here are some sample sentences that should help you remember.

Ninety

• I got there when the first person walked in the door, but there were already ninety people in front of me.
• If you make it to ninety, you are doing good.
• I hope I live to be at least ninety years old.
• Our SEO content writer's efforts are really paying off. We have had ninety visitors to our site in the last hour.

90

• She wrote her first best-selling book when she was 90 years old.
• My 90-year-old grandmother likes to read low-content books on her tablet.
• There has to be at least 90 people in here.

Ninetieth

• When I worked for the newspaper, I wrote an article about a woman celebrating her ninetieth birthday while she was on her third journey around the world.
• The first greeting card he wrote was one to celebrate someone's ninetieth birthday.
• The first twenty-five people to walk in the doors were entered into a drawing for a million-dollar cash prize, but I was the ninetieth.

90th

• As a writer working on an incredible team of tech and real estate writers, completing my 90th project is a dream come true.
• I hope you are with me when I celebrate my 90th birthday.
• For the 90th time, I am not going out with that guy again. He is rude and arrogant to everyone he meets.

Final Review: Is it 'Ninty' or 'Ninety'

Finally, let's review what you learned in this lesson about whether 'ninty' or 'ninety' is correct: 

• 'Ninty' is a common spelling error of the numeral 90. 
• 'Ninety' is the correct spelling. 
• 'Ninety' is pronounced nīn-tē. 

If you are interested in learning about the correct spelling, usage, meaning, or pronunciation of terms like 'ninety,' check out the other grammar guides here for writers. Each contains helpful tips and examples, so they are an excellent way to expand your vocabulary while you are learning essential grammar rules.

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