Buyout vs. Buy Out
“Buyout” is the closed noun for an acquisition or controlling purchase. “Buy out” is the two-word phrasal verb for buying another party’s interest or, in some contexts, paying to be released from a contract.
Use “buyout” as the noun for an acquisition or purchase that gives control or ownership. Use “buy out” as the verb for purchasing another owner’s interest or paying to end an obligation.
Key details
Choose the right form
| If you mean / need | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| an acquisition or controlling purchase as a noun | buyout | Cambridge records the closed noun. |
| the action of purchasing another owner’s interest or paying to end a contract | buy out | Cambridge records the phrasal verb as two words. |
Further guidance
Core difference
Use the documented noun or modifier form when naming a thing, result, event, or concept; use the spaced form when the words function as a verb.
Fast Test
If the expression can take ordinary verb tense or inflection in the sentence, the spaced verb form is usually the relevant choice.
Variant Boundary
Cambridge distinguishes closed “buyout” as a noun from the two-word phrasal verb “buy out.”
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.
- Buyout — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Closed noun “buyout” for obtaining control/ownership by purchase
- Buy out — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Two-word phrasal verb “buy out” for purchasing another owner’s interest or releasing a contract by payment