‘Abovementioned’ vs. ‘Mentioned Above’: Which Version Is Correct?

Incoming grammar lesson!

Quite a few TextRanch users have wondered whether ‘abovementioned’ should be written as one word or if it is even grammatically correct in the first place.

Along the same line of thought, how does the more pleasant-sounding phrase ‘mentioned above’ factor into this? There’s only one way to find out, so let’s investigate both options:

Abovementioned is…

A one-word adjective that describes something previously referenced higher up on the page, document, email chain, etc. It almost always comes before the noun it describes and has the same meaning as ‘aforementioned’ (but only refers to text and not speech).

In modern times, it is often written without a hyphen in U.S. English but is usually hyphenated in UK English (‘above-mentioned’).

Examples:

✅ Please check the abovementioned details.

✅ The abovementioned merchandise must be sold.

✅ Who revised the abovementioned survey?

Mentioned above is…

A past tense verb (‘mentioned’) followed by an adverb (‘above’). This is the natural and less formal way to say ‘abovementioned’, and it can go after or before the subject of a sentence. Native English speakers prefer this construction and rarely if ever use ‘abovementioned’ outside of contexts like a legal agreement or employment contract.

Examples:

✅ See the suggestions mentioned above for ideas.

✅ Mentioned above are the donations and gifts.

✅ Each term’s definition is mentioned above.

So, are they both correct then?

Both versions are grammatically correct, but ‘mentioned above’ is more appropriate in most situations.

Additionally, there are several alternatives such as previously stated, written above, and indicated earlier.

It’s best to save ‘abovementioned’ for official documents and binding agreements.