run out

verb

ran out; run out; running out; runs out

intransitive verb

1

a

: to come to an end : expire

time ran out

b

: to become exhausted or used up

the gasoline ran out

2

: to jut out

transitive verb

1

a

: to finish out (a course, a series, a contest, etc.) : complete

b

of a baseball batter : to run hard to first base after hitting (a batted ball)

ran out the grounder

2

a

: to fill out (a typeset line) with quads, leaders, or ornaments

b

: to set (a line of text, such as the first line of a paragraph) with a hanging indention

3

: to exhaust (oneself) in running

4

: to cause to leave by force or coercion : expel

see also:

run out of run out on

Examples of run out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There are two options, the budget runs out on December 11, so there has to be sort of bill to fund the government. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 10 Nov. 2026

Have lunch at the petite Picnic Real Food Bar, and don't worry if it's already run out of the plump and delicious pies (everything is worth trying). — Erin Florio, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Nov. 2026

Speaking at his arraignment Tuesday, prosecutors said surveillance footage and witness interviews show that Thomas ran out of the apartment with his young son after the killing. — Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 10 Nov. 2026

With the Democrats’ takeover of Congress, time has run out on eliminating the Department of Education—not that this was possible without removing the Senate filibuster—or making any other significant legislative changes. — Ilya Shapiro, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Rhymes for run out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

run out

verb

1

: to come to an end : expire

time ran out before we could tie the game

2

: to become exhausted or used up

our supplies were running out