Capitalization of Seasons: Are Seasons Capitalized?

Winter might be coming, or you might have a spring in your step. The seasons tell us a lot about climate, mood, and even which fashions and foods are in style. But grammatically, they can sometimes summon a headache. For instance, do you know if you should capitalize the names of seasons when you’re writing them?

Many people don’t know. Some who think they do might tend to get the answers wrong.

With that in mind, let’s look at the question from all the angles that matter.

Do You Capitalize Seasons?

Generally speaking, the names of the seasons are common nouns. That means they are not capitalized.

So, spring, summer, fall, and winter are correct. Capitalized versions such as Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter usually are not.

This may seem counterintuitive, for reasons we will soon explain. There’s also a chance that by now you will have seen the seasons mis-capitalized often in print, making it easy to get them wrong. Still, if you want to be correct, don’t capitalize the names of seasons unless you come across one of the exceptions below.

Exceptions to the Season-Capitalization Rule

As with many things, our guidelines to not capitalize the name of seasons may not apply in every instance.

For one thing, exceptions can be made for situations where any common noun would be capitalized: at the beginning of a sentence, in a title or heading, or as part of a proper noun (e.g., 2021 Fall Graduation Ceremony).

You may also capitalize the name of the season when it is being personified, as in the following sentence:

Majestic Fall, my dependable seasonal friend, arrived with its flurry of color to sweep me off my feet.

In this instance, Fall is being treated as a personified entity, in which case some writers may wish to capitalize it for effect. You may see the names of seasons used this way more often than you do other nouns.

Why Do People Think the Names of Seasons Should Be Capitalized?

Given that the names of seasons aren’t generally capitalized, why do so many people think they should be?

There are probably two reasons. The first concerns the fact that other parts of the year (such as the names of days and months) are capitalized. The second reason has to do with the fact that so much everyday communication sets a wrong example.

In sum, automatically capitalizing the name of the season can be easy to do, but it’s not grammatically correct.

Good Grammar Is Always in Season

Being a strong writer and communicator is often about understanding the finer points of English grammar. If you have wrestled with topics such as the capitalization of seasons, then you might enjoy some of our previous articles and tips. You can also leave a comment or suggest a future topic below. We are here to ride alongside you on your journey to greater grammar!

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One response to “Capitalization of Seasons: Are Seasons Capitalized?”

1. Bill Lawlor says:

   May 17, 2023, at 9:51 am

   You are a font of information.
   PS – I have your BlueBook