run-up

1 of 2

noun

ˈrən-ˌəp 

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

run up

2 of 2

verb

ran up; run up; running up; runs up

intransitive verb

: to grow rapidly : shoot up

transitive verb

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

Noun

After such a dramatic run-up, the question starts with whether the price of gold will keep climbing and ends with whether adding or adjusting a gold position makes sense at current valuations. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026

Just as the forward was readying himself at the top of his run-up, the goalkeeper left his line to query something, dragging out the drama yet further. —Jay Harris, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2026

Verb

Never ran up there like a bat out of hell just throwing punches at people. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026

On the Heritage Corridor, the final outbound train of the day to Joliet was running up to 30 minutes behind schedule due to a switch problem. —Todd Feurer, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for run-up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

run up

verb

: to cause to pile up : accumulate

ran up a big telephone bill