Is "Vs" Capitalized in a Title?

Title capitalization guide

Generally no — "vs" is lowercase in AP Style and Chicago Style as a preposition equivalent.

abbreviation (versus)

Capitalized in 2 styles

Lowercase in 8 styles

Title Case

Lowercase as a preposition abbreviation unless first or last word

AP Style

Lowercase — vs. treated as a preposition

NYT Style

YES

Often capitalized in NYT Style headlines

Chicago Style

Lowercase — treated as a preposition of fewer than five letters

MLA Style

Lowercase as a preposition abbreviation

APA Style

Sentence case — only first word and proper nouns

AMA Style

Lowercase in most medical contexts

BB Style

YES

Every word capitalized — no exceptions

Wikipedia Style

Sentence case — only first word and proper nouns

Sentence Case

Only the first word of a title is capitalized

The full answer

"Vs" or "vs." — short for "versus" — is generally treated as a preposition by style guides and lowercased in the middle of a title in AP Style and Chicago Style. In sports headlines and legal contexts, it may be capitalized or written as "v."

AP Style recommends the spelling "vs." with a period in general usage and "v." without a period in legal contexts. The capitalization rule is lowercase in both cases when used in the middle of a title.

In sports headlines and entertainment matchup contexts, "vs." sometimes appears in uppercase for dramatic effect — "Patriots vs. Eagles" or "Alien Vs. Predator." This is a stylistic choice rather than a strict rule, and it varies by publication.

When "vs" opens a title it is always capitalized, as with any first word. It rarely appears as the final word of a title.

"Vs" is an abbreviation of the Latin "versus" and functions like a preposition in English. AP Style and Chicago Style both lowercase prepositions in the middle of a title, and "vs" follows the same treatment.