Logout vs. Log Out
“Log out” is the phrasal verb for ending a connection to a computer system. “Logout” is the noun for that act or process, and Cambridge also documents “log-out” as a noun variant. The word boundary follows grammatical role.
Use “log out” for the verb. Use “logout” for the noun; Cambridge also records the hyphenated noun variant “log-out.”
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| verb/action | log out | Use the two-word verb. |
| noun/process or control label | logout | Use the common closed noun; house style may also allow “log-out.” |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Can the expression be inflected as “logged out” or “logging out”?
If yes: Use the two-word verb “log out.”
If no: Use the noun form “logout” (or documented house-style variant “log-out”).
Caveat: Cambridge records more than one noun spelling, so closed versus hyphenated noun choice may be a house-style matter.
Examples
Log out when you finish.
The expression is a verb.
The app records each logout.
The closed form functions as a noun.
She logged out of the shared computer.
The inflected form confirms the verb.
Further guidance
Core difference
Use the open form for the action and a noun spelling for the act or process.
Fast Test
If you can say “logged out” or “logging out,” use the two-word verb.
Variant Boundary
Cambridge records both “logout” and “log-out” as noun spellings, so this is not a universal closed-versus-hyphenated correctness rule.
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.
- LOGOUT — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Noun meaning and documented “log-out” variant for “logout”
- LOG OUT — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Phrasal verb “log out” for ending a computer-system connection