This is a rough guide to what words you might use to describe a percentage between 0% and 100%. It is very much a work in progress.
Get in touch if you think there’s anything wrong or you’d like to make a suggestion.
Note: all “X in Y” formats could be X in a hundred. Some can be simplified to lower base numbers, for example X in fifty, or X in ten. The column for that format gives these.
PERCENTAGES TO WORDS (DRAFT)
Percentage | “X in Y” format | Possible phrase |
0.0% | None in a hundred | None |
1.0% | One in a hundred | One in a hundred |
2.0% | One in fifty | One in fifty |
3.0% | Three in a hundred | Three in a hundred |
4.0% | One in twenty five | One in twenty five |
One twentieth: 5% exactly |
One in twenty | One in twenty |
6.0% | Three in fifty | Three in fifty |
7.0% | Seven in a hundred | Seven in a hundred |
8.0% | Two in twenty five | A little under one-twelfth |
9.0% | Nine in a hundred | Not much less than one in ten |
One tenth: 10% exactly |
One in ten | A tenth |
11.0% | Eleven in a hundred | Just under one in nine; Not much more than one-tenth |
One ninth: 11.111111….% |
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12.0% | Three in twenty five | A little under an eighth |
One eighth: 12.5% exactly |
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13.0% | Thirteen in a hundred | A little over an eighth |
14.0% | Seven in fifty | Nearly a seventh |
One seventh: 14.285714..% |
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15.0% | Three in twenty | A little over a seventh |
16.0% | Four in twenty five | A little under a sixth |
One sixth: 16.666666..% |
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17.0% | Seventeen in a hundred | Just over a sixth |
18.0% | Nine in fifty | A little over a sixth |
19.0% | Nineteen in a hundred | Nearly a fifth |
One fifth: 20% exactly |
One in five | A fifth |
21.0% | Twenty one in a hundred | Just over a fifth |
22.0% | Eleven in fifty | A little over a fifth |
23.0% | Twenty three in a hundred | A little under a quarter; nearly a quarter |
24.0% | Six in twenty five | Nearly a quarter |
One quarter: 25% exactly |
One in four | One quarter |
26.0% | Thirteen in fifty | About a quarter; just over a quarter |
27.0% | Twenty seven in a hundred | A little more than a quarter |
28.0% | Seven in twenty five | Quite a bit more than a quarter; nearly three in ten |
29.0% | Twenty nine in a hundred | Nearly three in ten; somewhat less than a third |
30.0% | Three in ten | Somewhat less than a third |
31.0% | Thirty one in a hundred | A little less than a third |
32.0% | Eight in twenty five | Close to a third |
33.0% | Thirty three in a hundred | Nearly a third |
One third: 33.3333333..% |
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34.0% | Seventeen in fifty | Just over a third; A third |
35.0% | Seven in twenty | A little more than a third |
36.0% | Nine in twenty five | Somewhat more than a third |
37.0% | Thirty seven in a hundred | Quite a bit more than a third |
38.0% | Nineteen in fifty | Not much less than two-fifths |
39.0% | Thirty nine in a hundred | Nearly two-fifths |
Two fifths: 40.0% exactly |
Two in five | Two fifths |
41.0% | Forty one in a hundred | Just over two-fifths |
42.0% | Twenty one in fifty | A little over two-fifths |
43.0% | Forty three in a hundred | Somewhat more than two-fifths |
44.0% | Eleven in twenty five | Somewhat more than two-fifths |
45.0% | Nine in twenty | Somewhat less than half; somewhat more than two-fifths |
46.0% | Twenty three in fifty | Some what less than half |
47.0% | Forty seven in a hundred | Reasonably close to a half |
48.0% | Twelve in twenty five | Close to a half |
49.0% | Forty nine in a hundred | Nearly a half |
One half: 50% exactly |
One in two | One half |
51.0% | Fifty one in a hundred | Just over a half |
52.0% | Thirteen in twenty five | Just a little more than a half; a majority by a small margin |
53.0% | Fifty three in a hundred | A little more than a half; a majority by a small margin |
54.0% | Twenty seven in fifty | A little more than a half; a majority by a small margin |
55.0% | Eleven in twenty | Quite a bit more than a half |
56.0% | Fourteen in twenty five | Quite a bit more than a half |
57.0% | Fifty seven in a hundred | Quite a bit more than a half; closing in on three-fifths |
58.0% | Twenty nine in fifty | Close to three-fifths |
59.0% | Fifty nine in a hundred | Nearly three-fifths |
Three fifths: 60% exactly |
Three in five | Three fifths |
61.0% | Sixty one in a hundred | Just over three fifths |
62.0% | Thirty one in fifty | A little over three-fifths |
63.0% | Sixty three in a hundred | A little over three-fifths |
64.0% | Sixteen in twenty five | Fairly close to two-thirds |
65.0% | Thirteen in twenty | Close to two-thirds |
66.0% | Thirty three in fifty | Nearly two-thirds |
Two thirds: 66.666666..% |
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67.0% | Sixty seven in a hundred | Just over two-thirds |
68.0% | Seventeen in twenty five | A little over two-thirds |
69.0% | Sixty nine in a hundred | A little over two-thirds |
Seven tenths: 70.0% exactly |
Seven in ten | Seven-tenths; somewhat more than two-thirds |
71.0% | Seventy one in a hundred | Somewhat more than two-thirds; somewhat less than three-quarters |
72.0% | Eighteen in twenty five | Fairly close to three-quarters |
73.0% | Seventy three in a hundred | Close to three-quarters |
74.0% | Thirty seven in fifty | Nearly three quarters |
Three quarters: 75% exactly | Three in four | Three quarters |
76.0% | Nineteen in twenty five | A little over three-quarters; roughly three-quarters |
77.0% | Seventy seven in a hundred | A little over three-quarters; roughly three-quarters |
78.0% | Thirty nine in fifty | Somewhat more than three-quarters; nearly four-fifths |
79.0% | Seventy nine in a hundred | Nearly four-fifths |
Four fifths: 80% exactly |
Four in five | Four fifths; quite a bit more than three quarters |
81.0% | Eighty one in a hundred | Just over four-fifths |
82.0% | Forty one in fifty | A little over four-fifths |
83.0% | Eighty three in a hundred | A little over four-fifths |
84.0% | Twenty one in twenty five | Somewhat more than four-fifths |
85.0% | Seventeen in twenty | Somewhat more than four-fifths |
86.0% | Forty three in fifty | Not much less than nine out of ten |
87.0% | Eighty seven in a hundred | Not much less than nine out of ten |
88.0% | Twenty two in twenty five | Nearing nine out of ten |
89.0% | Eighty nine in a hundred | Very nearly nine out of ten |
Nine tenths: 90% exactly |
Nine in ten | Nine tenths |
91.0% | Ninety one in a hundred | Just a little more than nine out of ten |
92.0% | Forty six in fifty | Just a little more than nine out of ten |
93.0% | Ninety three in a hundred | Somewhat more than nine out of ten |
94.0% | Forty seven in fifty | Somewhat more than nine out of ten |
95.0% | Nineteen in twenty | Somewhat more than nine out of ten |
96.0% | Twenty four in twenty five | Reasonably close to all |
97.0% | Ninety seven in a hundred | Reasonably close to all |
98.0% | Forty nine in fifty | Nearly all |
99.0% | Ninety nine in a hundred | Very nearly all |
100.0% | All | All |
Last update: | 05 November 2014 |
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