1
: the act of running up something
2
: a usually sudden increase in volume or price
3
: a period immediately preceding an action or event
ran up; run up; running up; runs up
: to grow rapidly : shoot up
1
: bid up
2
: to stitch together quickly
3
: to erect hastily
4
: to achieve by accumulating
ran up a big lead
Examples of run-up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
Higher than normal water run-up is expected on beaches and low-lying shoreline.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2025
It’s built to resist pesky tangles, power through daily messes with super-strong suction, and run up to 50 minutes on a single charge.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for run-up
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Noun
Brown, a transfer from North Dakota State, plays a similar style to Fletcher — a bruiser, physical, run-up-the-middle running back.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
Higher than normal water run-up is expected on beaches and low-lying shoreline.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
In addition, long period swell from Hurricane Melissa will bring large surf with significant wave run up along the beaches which may also result in additional ocean overwash along vulnerable locations.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2025
It’s built to resist pesky tangles, power through daily messes with super-strong suction, and run up to 50 minutes on a single charge.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for run-up
Cite this Entry
“Run-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/run-up. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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