Burnout vs. Burn Out
“Burnout” is the noun for a state of severe exhaustion or, in other senses, a result/failure; “burn out” is the phrasal verb for becoming exhausted, ceasing to burn, or failing from heat. The spacing follows grammatical function rather than a single spelling preference.
Use “burnout” as the noun and “burn out” as the phrasal verb. Write “burnout” for the condition; write “burn out” when someone or something undergoes the action/process.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| noun naming a state/condition or a failure event | burnout | use the one-word noun |
| phrasal verb describing the process/action | burn out | use two words |
Quick tests
Word-class test
Is the expression a noun rather than a verb?
If yes: Use “burnout.”
If no: Use “burn out” when the sentence needs the verb.
Caveat: The noun can have different contextual senses; this guide distinguishes form, not clinical diagnosis.
Examples
The report discusses employee burnout.
“Burnout” is functioning as a noun.
The motor may burn out if it overheats.
“Burn out” is the phrasal verb.
Repeated overload can burn out the component.
The transitive phrasal verb remains two words.
Further guidance
Core difference
Use “burnout” when the expression is a noun, especially for severe exhaustion. Use “burn out” when it functions as a verb.
Fast Test
If you can put an article or adjective before it (“a burnout risk,” “severe burnout”), the noun is closed. If it carries tense or follows a subject as an action (“they burn out”), use two words.
Usage Boundary
The noun may also appear as hyphenated “burn-out” in some varieties; that variant does not turn the two-word phrasal verb into a noun spelling.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- burnout — Cambridge English Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Closed noun burnout, including the work-exhaustion sense and burn-out variant
- burn out — Cambridge English Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Two-word phrasal verb burn out for exhaustion, fire ending, and heat-related failure