rundown

noun run·down \ ˈrən-ˌdau̇n \

|Updated on: 24 Jun 2018

Definition of rundown

1 : 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

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

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Examples of rundown in a Sentence

They gave us a rundown on the main points of the news.
a rundown of our public services
He was caught in a rundown.

Recent Examples of rundown from the Web

The Brewers’ best shortstop prospect, Mauricio Dubon, suffered a torn ACL in his left knee the first week of May trying to escape a rundown at Colorado Springs and was lost for the remainder of the season.

— tom haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Haudricourt: Brewers have few options as they wait for Orlando Arcia to get going at plate," 15 June 2018
The Word of Life Christian Church, which operated out of a rundown brick building that once housed a school, was founded in 1987 by Tiffanie Irwin’s late father, Jerry Irwin.

— chris harris, PEOPLE.com, "Inside the Church Cult That Eventually Drove Parents to Join a 12-Hour Beating of Their Sons," 14 June 2018
Head over to the FIFA World Cup website for a rundown of who's facing off in the group stages.

— alyssa newcomb /, NBC News, "How to watch the 2018 FIFA World Cup if you can't make it to Russia," 14 June 2018
Adam, Steve and Flora all find their way to the rundown Berryman cottage in the country and the past that was hidden away there with a portrait 60 years ago.

— david zurawik, baltimoresun.com, "TV ad in governor's race and PBS film sound similar themes on gay life, love," 14 June 2018
The record is dismal; this comprehensive rundown from Joshua Pollack makes for grim reading.

— elizabeth n. saunders, Washington Post, "Trump and Kim will finally meet, but don’t expect much to change. Here’s why.," 11 June 2018
Brady swung and missed, and Schiffer was tagged out on a rundown.

— joseph d’hippolito, The Seattle Times, "Omaha bound: Washington earns first trip to College World Series," 11 June 2018
Hernandez, a Rule 5 pick that has shifted to the bullpen after two weeks in the rotation, caught Manuel Margot napping at third base, firing a pick-off throw to Miguel Rojas, who applied the tag after a brief rundown.

— matthew defranks, Sun-Sentinel.com, "A Closer Look: San Diego Padres 3, Miami Marlins 1," 10 June 2018
Here’s a park-by-park rundown on what’s new for summer 2018.

— scott craven, azcentral, "New this summer at Disneyland, Universal Studios and other SoCal theme parks," 7 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rundown.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of rundown

1908

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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rundown Synonyms

Synonyms

abstract, brief, digest, encapsulation, epitome, outline, précis, recap, recapitulation, résumé (or resume), roundup, sum, summarization, summary, synopsis, wrap-up;

Near Antonyms

amplification, enlargement, expansion;

addendum, supplement;

simplification, streamlining;

rehash, reprise;

conclusion, epilogue (also epilog);

run-down

adjective \ ˈrən-ˈdau̇n \

Definition of run-down

1 : worn-out, exhausted

2 : completely unwound

3 : being in poor repair : dilapidated

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First Known Use of run-down

1815

in the meaning defined at sense 2

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run-down Synonyms

Phrases

out of sorts, under the weather;

run down

verb

Definition of run 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

b : to trace the source of

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

3 : disparage

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

See run down defined for kids

Examples of run down in a Sentence

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 of run down from the Web

The noise aroused two Germans on the left who ran down the trench.

— jesse leavenworth, courant.com, "If These Walls Could Talk: 7 Stories Of Connecticut Soldiers Who Left Their Names In French Caves," 25 May 2018
The series of spikes that run down the weapon's shaft, meanwhile, serve as a defensive element rather than an offensive one, preventing a captive from grabbing the pole and trying to wrench it out of the wielder's hands.

— eric limer, Popular Mechanics, "What Was That Gnarly Samurai Weapon on Westworld Last Night?," 21 May 2018
Also, from this side of the fairway, shots that come up short will have to navigate a very difficult spine that runs down the right side of the green making an up and down very difficult.

— star-telegram, "How to play the Trinity Forest golf course: Be creative and embrace the character | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 16 May 2018
One of TEPCO’s major concerns has been groundwater, which runs down from mountains west of the plant and can become contaminated by the low-lying reactors before flowing out to sea.

— william steel, Ars Technica, "Remediating Fukushima—“When everything goes to hell, you go back to basics”," 11 May 2018
It’s too simple to say the furious engine of the man ran down.

— david thomson, San Francisco Chronicle, "‘Robin,’ by Dave Itzkoff," 10 May 2018
The Tigers had two more runners on in the third when Coomes drove a ball to right center that centerfield Steven Kwan ran down and extended for to end the inning, making it seven runners on in the first three innings that LSU couldn't bring home.

— brody miller, NOLA.com, "Oregon State takes revenge, dominates LSU in NCAA Regional rout," 3 June 2018
Instead of answering, the child broke away from her mother, pushed past Winfrey, and ran down to the stage to hug him.

— maxwell king, Time, "Get an Exclusive Look Inside the First Full-Length Mister Rogers Biography," 1 June 2018
This meant that those of us who, for example, made a run down to Grant Park and back on Saturday barely had to touch our brakes.

— dan moran, Lake County News-Sun, "Moran: Cedar Lake and Monaville shutdown signals uptick in summer roadwork," 29 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'run down.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of run down

1686

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

run down Synonyms

Synonyms

bad-mouth, belittle, cry down, decry, denigrate, deprecate, depreciate, derogate, diminish, discount, dismiss, disparage, kiss off, minimize, play down, put down, talk down, vilipend, write off;

Antonyms

acclaim, applaud, exalt, extol (also extoll), glorify, laud, magnify, praise;

Near Antonyms

approve, countenance, endorse (also indorse), favor, recommend, sanction;

commend, compliment, eulogize;

Related Words

discommend;

abuse, scold;

disapprove (of), dislike;

censure, condemn, criticize, denounce, reprehend, reprobate;

asperse, defame, malign, rip, slander, slur, traduce, vilify;

discredit, disgrace;

Phrases

dump on;

RUNDOWN Defined for English Language Learners

rundown

noun

Definition of rundown for English Language Learners

: a quick report about the main parts of something
: a gradual reduction in the size of a business, activity, etc.
baseball : a play in which a runner is chased by two or more opposing players who throw the ball to each other in an attempt to tag the runner out