end run

1 of 2

noun

Synonyms of end runnext
1
: a football play in which the ballcarrier attempts to run wide around the end of the line
specifically : sweep sense 3e
2
: an evasive trick or maneuver
made an end run around the regulations

end-run

2 of 2

verb

end-ran; end-running; end-runs

transitive verb

: to avoid artfully
end-running the law

Examples of end run in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
With the aid of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency team, Trump appears to be attempting an end run that could succeed where his past attempts failed: by simply terminating the consulting contract that the Department of Energy relies on to develop and enforce the rules. Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 30 Dec. 2025 More specifically, the Trump administration has been doing an end run around the Constitution by misinterpreting the IEEPA, critics from legal groups across the ideological spectrum claim. Henry Gass, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
The Trump administration urged the Supreme Court to get involved, arguing those states − Hawaii, California, Maryland, New York and New Jersey − are doing an end-run to avoid complying with the court's 2022 ruling. Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 17 Jan. 2026 His caucus sees that as an end-run around TABOR’s requirement to take tax increases to voters. Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 14 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for end run

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1952, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of end run was in 1902

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“End run.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/end%20run. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

end run

noun
: a football play in which the ballcarrier attempts to run wide around the end

More from Merriam-Webster on end run

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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