Readout vs. Read Out
“Readout” is the closed noun for displayed or produced information, especially from equipment. “Read out” is the two-word phrasal verb meaning to say written words aloud.
Use “readout” as a noun for information produced or displayed by equipment. Use “read out” as a phrasal verb when someone reads words or numbers aloud.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| information produced or displayed by equipment | readout | Use the closed noun form. |
| read words, numbers, or information aloud | read out | Use the two-word phrasal verb. |
| decide from appearance alone | check word class and sentence role | The noun/verb distinction determines the form. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Is the expression naming information or a display produced by equipment?
If yes: Use “readout.”
If no: If someone is performing the action of reading information aloud, use “read out.”
Examples
The display showed a temperature readout.
The closed form is a noun naming displayed information.
Please read out the final three numbers.
Two words form the phrasal verb.
The technician checked the digital readout.
The noun names information shown by equipment.
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 records closed “readout” as a noun and “read out” as a phrasal verb.
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.
- READOUT — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Closed noun “readout”
- READ SOMETHING OUT — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Two-word phrasal verb “read out”