Dropout vs. Drop Out
“Dropout” is the closed noun, while “drop out” is the two-word phrasal verb. The noun names the person or participant; the verb describes the act of leaving before completion.
Use “dropout” as the noun for a person who leaves a course, school, or activity before completion. Use “drop out” as the verb for stopping participation before finishing.
Key details
Choose the right form
| If you mean / need | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| a person who leaves before finishing as a noun | dropout | Cambridge records the closed noun. |
| the action of stopping participation before completion | drop out | Cambridge records the phrasal verb as two words. |
Further guidance
Core difference
Use the documented noun/adjective form for the thing, result, event, or modifier; use the spaced form when the expression functions as a verb or predicate.
Fast Test
Ask what job the expression is doing in the sentence. A noun/adjective form may be closed or hyphenated by dictionary convention; a verb or predicate normally keeps the words separate.
Variant Boundary
Cambridge distinguishes the noun “dropout” from the phrasal verb “drop 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.
- Dropout — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Closed noun “dropout” for a person who leaves a course or activity before completion
- Drop out — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Two-word phrasal verb “drop out” for stopping participation before completion