runaway

1 of 3

noun

run·​away ˈrə-nə-ˌwā How to pronounce runaway (audio)
1
: one that runs away from danger, duty, or restraint : fugitive
2
: the act of running away out of control
also : something (such as a horse) that is running out of control
3
: a one-sided or overwhelming victory

runaway

2 of 3

adjective

1
a
: running away : fugitive
b
: leaving to gain special advantages (such as lower wages) or avoid disadvantages (such as governmental or union restrictions)
runaway shipping firms
a runaway shop
2
: accomplished by elopement or during flight
3
: won by or having a long lead
a runaway success
also : extremely successful
a runaway bestseller
4
: subject to uncontrolled changes
runaway inflation
5
: being or operating out of control
a runaway oil well
a runaway nuclear reactor

run away

3 of 3

verb

ran away; run away; running away; runs away

intransitive verb

1
a
: to leave quickly in order to avoid or escape something
b
: to leave home
especially : elope
2
: to run out of control : stampede, bolt
3
: to gain a substantial lead : win by a large margin

see also run away with

Examples of runaway in a Sentence

Adjective The play was a runaway success. a region plagued by runaway suburban sprawl Verb ran away from an unhappy marriage the child runs away from large dogs
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Chen, whose research is partly funded by GM and the U.S. Department of Energy, has studied the cause of thermal runaway, which is the formation of lithium dendrite, a metal that can grow in tree-branch-like patterns along the battery. Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 1 Mar. 2024 Children who are classified as runaways, which advocates say happens more often to children of color, can also receive less attention from law enforcement. USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 In the past five weeks, the Missouri Highway Patrol assisted Wayne County authorities after runaways from ABM Ministries were reported, said Highway Patrol Sgt. Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 21 Feb. 2024 Michael walked barefoot to Bradley’s house, but her parents called the cops, concerned about harboring a runaway (Michael was 17). Molly Langmuir, Rolling Stone, 2 Feb. 2024 The actors who portrayed Harvey Specter and Michael Ross, respectively, will have an mini-Suits reunion onstage, which is well timed in the wake of the show’s runaways success on Netflix and Peacock. Shania Russell, EW.com, 3 Jan. 2024 The calculus is this: AI = Computing = Energy; Energy = Money AI therefore causes a kind of economic thermal runaway. Clem Chambers, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 The victim's family also took issue with the department's decision to categorize the girl's disappearance as a runaway; Dallas police said the designation is routine unless there is clear evidence that a victim was taken against his or her will. Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 12 Feb. 2024 Replacing flammable electrolytes with a flame-retardant electrolyte has the potential to make lithium-ion batteries safer, and can buy time for longer-term improvements that reduce inherent risks of overheating and thermal runaway. Apparao Rao, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Not even a leg injury that sidelined Cheli for a month down the stretch slowed down this runaway group. Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2024 Wine purchased for home consumption was the third-least affected by runaway prices: up 5.9%, followed by liquor, up 7.2%. Alexander Coolidge, The Enquirer, 10 Mar. 2024 Trump's runaway win in those contests pushed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley out of the race, marking the beginning of the general election season. USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024 The planet’s oceans are also continuing to experience runaway warmth, with February marking not only the hottest February on record for sea surface temperatures, but the highest for any month in the data set, according to Copernicus. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 The current seasonal weekend menu features two runaway favorites: a fist-sized bacon-egg-and-cheese biscuit with pomegranate jam, or ricotta cheese toast with orange-grapefruit slices and pomegranate syrup. Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Feb. 2024 The Conjuring, made for just $20 million, became a runaway hit when it was released in 2013, scaring up almost $320 million worldwide. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Feb. 2024 First, there’s stable prices — and its nemesis, runaway inflation. Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2024 Steep cuts in carbon emissions, mainly from burning fossil fuels, will be needed in the coming years if targets to limit a global rise in temperatures and prevent runaway climate change are to be met, scientists have said. Reuters, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024
Verb
These are the children of America, running away from home, holing up in the Last Free Place. Jonah Gercke, SPIN, 15 Mar. 2024 When Dallas threatened to run away with it, Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis made key plays. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 Police said that the boy had spent the night alone in the store after running away from home, per the outlets. Brian Brant, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 The brother of hers who had been shot in the leg had run away in 1863, and Simms herself had fled in 1864, after Maryland abolished slavery. Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 Brazil ran away to a 5-1 win over Argentina in the quarterfinals. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2024 In a rematch between the two teams that contested the 2022 NBA Finals, the Celtics ran away with proceedings early on. Sam Joseph, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 With Mexico’s presidential election just three months away, one thing is clear: The candidate for the governing party appears to be running away with it. Emiliano Rodríguez Mega, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 The suspect, a 36-year-old man, then ran away from deputies after the car was stopped, but he was apprehended by a K-9, deputies said. Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'runaway.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of runaway was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near runaway

Cite this Entry

“Runaway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/runaway. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

runaway

1 of 3 noun
run·​away ˈrən-ə-ˌwā How to pronounce runaway (audio)
1
: a person who runs away : fugitive
2
: the act of running away out of control
also : something (as a horse) that is running out of control

runaway

2 of 3 adjective
1
: running away : fugitive
2
: being out of control

run away

3 of 3 verb
ˌrən-ə-ˈwā
1
: to leave in a hurry especially to escape from danger or confinement
2
: to leave home

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