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

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

Synonyms

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’s a rundown of where to find those cooling spots and how to quickly cool down your body using pulse points. —Maryal Miller Carter, USA Today, 20 June 2025

Scroll below for a rundown of the summer trends ruling the style scene, as well as corresponding pieces to add to your warm weather rotation. —Kelsey Stewart, Refinery29, 19 June 2025

Adjective

Every week, Pitchfork offers a run-down of significant new releases available on streaming services. —Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 20 June 2025

One viral video on TikTok shows a captain toward the end of a 15-hour match, probing his opponents in the daytime heat, as run-down as a senator in the final moments of a filibuster. —Jason Anthony, The Atlantic, 14 June 2025

Verb

With the 2025 New York City Pride March, Rise Up: Pride In Protest, running down Fifth Avenue on Sunday, June 29, the city is full of celebrations and specials. —Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets runs down the floor during the first half of game seven of the Western Conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on May 18, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. —Ricardo Klein, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 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