cut and run
idiom
: to leave quickly in order to avoid danger or trouble
You can't just cut and run when your friends are in trouble.
Examples of cut and run in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
My biggest worry is that the international community has cut and run at a moment when Afghans need our help.
—
Charlotte Slente, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025
Alana even obliged to share the story of her wildest worst date — a saga that manages to incorporate those key themes of maintaining a strong sense of humor, and knowing when to cut and run.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2025
But that’s only possible for those with the patience and discipline to avoid the natural human urge to cut and run.
—Wes Moss, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
Instead of hanging 10, some surfers in Newport Beach had to cut and run after they were accosted by an aggressive sea lion.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Any such analysis would shine far too bright a light on just how disastrous the decision to cut and run and abandon the government in Kabul was.
—Sam Faddis, Baltimore Sun, 10 Apr. 2024
The entire family is shaken after the confrontation; while the kids are sullen and jumpy after the fight, Georgia has decided to cut and run, even cancelling her wedding venue without telling Paul.
—Quinci Legardye, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 Jan. 2023
There can be a tendency for brands, facing bad publicity, to cut and run from badly behaving suppliers, which can leave everyone involved worse off.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019
According to this view, the Middle East and South Asia have sapped U.S. power and prestige and the pivot is really an attempt to cut and run by turning to the more peaceful and profitable shores of the Asia-Pacific.
—Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2014
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Charlotte Slente, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025
Alana even obliged to share the story of her wildest worst date — a saga that manages to incorporate those key themes of maintaining a strong sense of humor, and knowing when to cut and run.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2025
But that’s only possible for those with the patience and discipline to avoid the natural human urge to cut and run.
—Wes Moss, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
Instead of hanging 10, some surfers in Newport Beach had to cut and run after they were accosted by an aggressive sea lion.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Any such analysis would shine far too bright a light on just how disastrous the decision to cut and run and abandon the government in Kabul was.
—Sam Faddis, Baltimore Sun, 10 Apr. 2024
The entire family is shaken after the confrontation; while the kids are sullen and jumpy after the fight, Georgia has decided to cut and run, even cancelling her wedding venue without telling Paul.
—Quinci Legardye, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 Jan. 2023
There can be a tendency for brands, facing bad publicity, to cut and run from badly behaving suppliers, which can leave everyone involved worse off.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019
According to this view, the Middle East and South Asia have sapped U.S. power and prestige and the pivot is really an attempt to cut and run by turning to the more peaceful and profitable shores of the Asia-Pacific.
—Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2014
Cite this Entry
“Cut and run.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cut%20and%20run. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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