Catch-Up vs. Catch Up vs. Catchup
Use open “catch up” for the phrasal verb and hyphenated “catch-up” for the ordinary noun or attributive adjective. Cambridge also records closed “catchup” in narrower combinations such as “catchup TV,” so it should not be generalized as the default spelling for every noun or verb use.
Write “catch up” as the verb (“I need to catch up”) and “catch-up” as the ordinary noun/adjective (“a catch-up meeting”). Use closed “catchup” only where the established term or house style specifically uses it.
Key details
Further guidance
Closed Form Boundary
Do not turn every noun into “catchup”; closed spelling is documented in some specific compounds, including “catchup TV.”
Noun Adjective Use
Use “catch-up” for the ordinary noun or adjective, such as a catch-up or catch-up session.
Verb Use
Use “catch up” as the phrasal verb for reaching a level, completing delayed work, or exchanging recent news.
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.
- Catch up / catch-up — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Headword evidence distinguishing open phrasal verb “catch up” from hyphenated noun/adjective “catch-up.”