Turnover vs. Turn Over
“Turnover” is a noun with business, staffing, inventory, and other established senses. “Turn over” is a two-word phrasal verb used for actions such as rotating, transferring, or selling and replacing goods.
Use “turnover” for the noun and “turn over” for the phrasal verb.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Context | Use | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| noun | turnover | Use the closed form when the expression is functioning as a noun. |
| phrasal verb | turn over | Use two words when “turn” is the verb and “over” is its particle/adverb. |
| uncertain spelling | identify the grammatical job | Do not choose solely by how the expression sounds. |
Quick tests
Word-class test
Is the expression naming something, or describing the action “turn over”?
If yes: Use “turnover” for the noun and “turn over” for the phrasal verb.
If no: Recast the sentence and identify the grammatical role before spelling it.
Caveat: “Turnover” has multiple noun senses, while “turn over” has multiple verbal senses; the spelling rule follows word class.
Examples
Staff turnover fell during the second half of the year.
“Turnover” is a noun.
Turn over the card to read the instructions.
“Turn over” is the phrasal verb.
The report discusses turnover, but the next instruction says to turn over the page.
The noun and phrasal verb keep different spellings in the same context.
Further guidance
Core difference
Use the noun or modifier form documented by the dictionaries when naming a thing, event, result, 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 phrasal-verb form is usually the relevant form.
Variant Boundary
Cambridge separates the closed noun “turnover” from the two-word phrasal verb “turn over.”
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.
- TURNOVER — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Closed noun “turnover” and its business/personnel meanings
- TURN OVER — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Two-word phrasal verb “turn over” and related business uses