Turnout vs. Turn Out
“Turnout” is a closed noun, commonly for attendance or voter participation. “Turn out” is a two-word phrasal verb with several meanings, including resulting in a particular way, appearing, and producing.
Use “turnout” as the noun for attendance, especially the number of people who attend or vote. Use “turn out” as the phrasal verb for resulting, appearing, attending, producing, or other verb senses.
Key details
Choose the right form
| If you mean / need | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| attendance or voter participation as a noun | turnout | Cambridge records the closed noun. |
| the verbal idea of resulting, appearing, attending, producing, etc. | turn out | Cambridge records the multi-sense phrasal verb. |
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
The noun is “turnout”; the phrasal verb is “turn 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.
- Turnout — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Closed noun “turnout” for attendance, especially voter attendance
- Turn out — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Two-word phrasal verb “turn out” for resulting, appearing, producing, or switching out