Address or Adress: Which Spelling Is Correct?

If you are unsure whether address or adress is the correct spelling, the answer is address. The word has two d letters and two s letters: a d d r e s s.

Adress is a common spelling mistake, but it is not the standard English spelling. In this article, you will learn why address is correct and how to use it in sentences.

Address or Adress?

Address is the correct spelling. Adress is incorrect in standard English.

The word address can mean the details of where someone lives or works. It can also refer to an email or web address. As a verb, it can mean to speak to someone or deal with a problem. Both Cambridge and Oxford list address as the standard spelling.

Information poster explaining that address is correct and adress is an incorrect spelling

Address vs. Adress at a Glance

WordCorrect?MeaningExample
addressYesA location or other related meaningPlease write your address here.
adressNoMisspelling of addressDo not use “adress” in formal writing.
email addressYesAn email contactWhat is your email address?
home addressYesWhere someone livesI changed my home address.
address a problemYesDeal with an issueWe need to address this problem.
Information poster showing four common meanings and uses of the word address with examples

Why Is Address Correct?

The correct spelling is address, with a double d and a double s.

The spelling can be confusing because it contains several letters that are easy to omit when writing quickly. Some people write adress because they remember only one d or one s.

However, standard English uses address.

For example:

  • Please send the package to my address.
  • I need your email address.
  • We should address this issue soon.
  • She gave me her new home address.

Cambridge Dictionary defines address as the details of where a person or business can be found and where mail can be sent. It also lists meanings related to computers and speaking to someone.

What Does Address Mean?

The word address has several common meanings. Its meaning depends on how it appears in a sentence.

1. Address as a Location

The most common meaning refers to the place where someone lives or where a business or organization is located.

For example:

What is your new address?

Here, address means the details needed to identify someone’s location.

An address may include information such as a house or building number, street name, city and postal code.

Other examples include:

  • Please write your full address.
  • The company has a new office address.
  • I sent the letter to the wrong address.
  • She gave me her home address.

Oxford also defines an address as details about where someone lives or works and where letters can be sent.

2. Address as an Email or Web Location

In technology, address can refer to a series of letters, numbers or symbols that identifies where something can be reached.

For example:

  • What is your email address?
  • Please send the file to my email address.
  • The website has a new web address.
  • Check the web address before opening the page.

An email address helps identify where an email should be sent. A web address identifies a location on the internet. Cambridge and Oxford both include these computing related uses.

3. Address as a Verb

Address can also be a verb.

It may mean to speak to someone directly:

The teacher addressed the students.

It can also mean to use a particular name or title when speaking to someone:

How should I address you?

Another common meaning is to deal with a problem or issue:

We need to address this concern.

Oxford lists these uses of address as a verb, including speaking to someone, using a particular title and dealing with a problem.

4. Address as a Formal Speech

Address can also mean a formal speech given to an audience.

For example:

The president delivered an address to the audience.

This use is more formal than the everyday meaning of a home or email address.

Oxford lists a formal speech as another noun meaning of address.

Address or Adress: Which One Should You Use?

Use address whenever you need this word in standard English.

Do not write adress in school assignments, emails, applications, articles or professional documents.

Here are some correct examples:

  • Please confirm your address.
  • I forgot to update my mailing address.
  • What is your email address?
  • We need to address the problem.
  • The manager gave a short address to the team.

The incorrect spelling can appear when someone accidentally leaves out one of the repeated letters. It does not create a different standard English word.

Common Examples of Address

Seeing the word in different sentences can make its spelling easier to remember.

Address as a Noun

I wrote down her address.

Here, address means the location where she lives or can receive mail.

Please enter your email address.

Here, it refers to an electronic contact address.

The letter was sent to my old address.

Again, it refers to a physical location.

Address as a Verb

We need to address the customer’s complaint.

Here, address means to deal with or give attention to the complaint.

In this context, the word refers to taking action to handle the issue. For example, you might say, “The company needs to address the customer’s complaint.”

This use of address is common when discussing problems, concerns or requests.

She addressed the audience.

Here, it means she spoke to the audience.

Please address the letter to the manager.

Here, it means to write the recipient’s details on the letter.

Cambridge lists these major verb uses, including speaking to someone, writing an address on something being mailed and dealing with an issue.

Why Do People Spell Address as Adress?

The spelling mistake adress is easy to make because the word contains repeated letters.

The correct spelling has this pattern:

A + DD + R + E + SS

So remember:

address = double D + double S

The incorrect version is:

adress = single D

A simple memory trick is to think:

Address has two Ds and two Ss.

This can help you remember the spelling when writing quickly.

How to Remember the Correct Spelling

One easy method is to break the word into parts:

ad + dress

The word visually contains dress at the end:

ad + dress = address

This does not mean the word’s modern meaning comes from clothing. It is simply a useful spelling trick.

You can also remember the repeated letters:

a DD re SS

So when you write the word, check whether you included both d letters and both s letters.

Common Words and Phrases With Address

You will often see address in these common phrases:

Home Address

A place where someone lives.

Please provide your home address.

Business Address

The location of a business or company.

The business address is listed on the form.

Mailing Address

An address where mail can be sent.

Enter your mailing address below.

Email Address

An electronic address used to send and receive email.

Please check your email address before submitting the form.

Web Address

The location of a webpage on the internet.

Type the web address into your browser.

IP Address

A numerical address associated with a device or network connection.

Address a Problem

To deal with or give attention to an issue.

The company needs to address the problem.

These phrases show why address is a useful word in everyday English, technology and formal communication.

Address or Adress in Formal Writing

In formal writing, always use address.

For example, if you are filling out a job application, write:

Please enter your current address.

Do not write:

Please enter your current adress.

The second version contains a spelling error.

The same rule applies to:

  • School assignments
  • Business emails
  • Cover letters
  • Job applications
  • Official forms
  • Reports
  • Website content
  • Professional documents

Using the correct spelling makes your writing clearer and more polished.

Address in Different Contexts

The meaning of address changes depending on the context.

ContextMeaningExample
HomePlace where someone livesWhat is your home address?
BusinessCompany locationThe office address has changed.
EmailElectronic contactSend it to my email address.
InternetWebsite locationEnter the web address.
ProblemDeal with an issueWe must address the concern.
SpeechFormal talkShe gave an address to the audience.

This is why context matters when understanding the word.

Common Mistakes With Address

Mistake 1: Writing Adress

Incorrect:

Please send it to my adress.

Correct:

Please send it to my address.

Mistake 2: Forgetting the Second D

Incorrect:

What is your adress?

Correct:

What is your address?

Mistake 3: Forgetting the Second S

Incorrect:

Please confirm your addres.

Correct:

Please confirm your address.

Mistake 4: Confusing Address With a Different Word

The word address can refer to a place, an electronic location, a speech or an action involving a problem. The surrounding sentence tells you which meaning applies.

Is Adress Ever Correct?

In standard English, adress is not the correct spelling of the word meaning a location, email contact or the other common meanings described above.

If you are writing in English and mean address, use address.

There may be names or specialized terms in other languages that look similar to adress, but that does not make adress the standard English spelling of address.

How Do You Pronounce Address?

Address has different pronunciations depending on English variety and use.

Cambridge gives pronunciations including /əˈdres/ in British English and /ˈæd.res/ in American English for the noun.

The pronunciation can therefore vary, but the spelling remains:

address

The important spelling point is that the word has two d letters and two s letters.

Is Address a Noun or a Verb?

Address can be both a noun and a verb.

As a noun:

I need your address.

Here, it refers to a location.

As a verb:

We need to address the issue.

Here, it means to deal with the issue.

It can also be a verb meaning to speak to someone:

She addressed the audience.

Oxford and Cambridge both document these noun and verb uses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is address or adress correct?

Address is correct. Adress is a misspelling in standard English.

How do you spell address correctly?

Spell it A D D R E S S. Remember that it has two Ds and two Ss.

Why is adress wrong?

Adress leaves out one of the two Ds in address, so it is not the standard English spelling.

What does address mean?

Address can mean a physical location, an email or web location, a formal speech or the act of dealing with an issue.

Is address a noun or verb?

Address can be both a noun and a verb. Its meaning depends on how it is used in the sentence.

Conclusion

The correct spelling is address, not adress. Remember the simple pattern double D and double S: a d d r e s s.

Whether you mean a home location, email address, web address, formal speech or the act of dealing with a problem, address is the standard English spelling.

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