rundown

1 of 3

noun

run·​down ˈrən-ˌdau̇n 

1

: an item-by-item report or review : summary

2

: a play in baseball in which a base runner who is caught off base is chased by two or more opposing players who throw the ball from one to another in an attempt to tag the runner out

run-down

2 of 3

adjective

ˈrən-ˈdau̇n 

1

: being in poor repair : dilapidated

2

: worn-out, exhausted

3

: completely unwound

run down

3 of 3

verb

ran down; run down; running down; runs down

transitive verb

1

a

: to collide with and knock down

b

: to run against and cause to sink

2

a

: to chase to exhaustion or until captured

The cops ran the thief down in an alley.

b

: to find (someone or something) after searching

c

: to tag out (a base runner) between bases on a rundown

3

: disparage

was always running himself down

4

: to say or repeat from beginning to end

ran down the list of names

intransitive verb

1

: to cease to operate because of the exhaustion of motive power

the clock ran down

2

: to decline in physical condition or vigor

Synonyms of rundown

Noun

• summary

Adjective

• dilapidated
• neglected

Verb

• find
• learn
• discover
• locate
• track (down)
• get
• find out

Examples of rundown in a Sentence

Noun

They gave us a rundown on the main points of the news.

a rundown of our public services

He was caught in a rundown.

Adjective

a run-down old house that really should be torn down

I'm afraid I'll be staying home today as I'm feeling run-down

Verb

finally ran down the answer after hours of research

constantly running down the city's cultural life won't do anything to improve it

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Here are the odds for the women’s NCAA title, plus a quick rundown of the favorites and returning players/roster moves. —Jenny Caitlin, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025

Welcome to Sportico’s transactions wire, a weekly rundown of personnel, partnerships, products and purchases across the sports business industry. —Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 31 Oct. 2025

Adjective

When the temperature fell to 20 below zero and the furnace went out in our run-down rental, Tuco kept me warm. —Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 23 Oct. 2025

Oftentimes, Tupac and Gault wound up whiling away lunch (and beyond) at the Old Town Mall, a run-down shopping center two hops and a skip from Dunbar. —Jeff Pearlman, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025

Verb

Five people were run down by the vehicle, including two in critical condition and three others moderately injured, Laurent Nunez, the minister, told reporters at a briefing. —Tom Soufi Burridge, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2025

Hard not to call to mind the heavily creased face of a Native American man (who turned out to be Italian) in that public service ad against littering—hair in braids, a tear running down his stoic cheek. —Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1908, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

1686, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for rundown

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

rundown

1 of 3 noun

run·​down ˈrən-ˌdau̇n 

: an item by item report : summary

run-down

2 of 3 adjective

ˈrən-ˈdau̇n

1

: being in poor condition

a run-down farm

2

: being in or indicating poor health

that run-down feeling

run down

3 of 3 verb

ˈrən-ˈdau̇n

1

: to collide with and knock down

2

a

: to chase until exhausted or captured

b

: to find by search : trace the source of

3

: to stop operating because of the exhaustion of an energy source

the battery ran down