runner

noun

run·​ner ˈrə-nər 

1

a

: one that runs : racer

b

: base runner

c

: ballcarrier

2

a

: messenger

b

: one that smuggles or distributes illicit or contraband goods (such as drugs, liquor, or guns)

3

: any of several large vigorous carangid fishes

4

a

: either of the longitudinal pieces on which a sled or sleigh slides

b

: the part of a skate that slides on the ice : blade

c

: the support of a drawer or a sliding door

5

a

: an elongated horizontal stem arising from the base of a plant

especially : stolon sense 1a

b

: a plant (such as a strawberry) that forms or spreads by means of runners

c

: a twining vine (such as a scarlet runner bean)

6

a

: a long narrow carpet for a hall or staircase

b

: a narrow decorative cloth cover for a table or dresser top

7

: an adjustable backstay running from mast to rail on a sail boat or ship

8

: a running shot in basketball

Synonyms

• bootlegger
• contrabandist
• courier
• smuggler

Examples of runner in a Sentence

The runner slid into third base.

sent a runner to tell them that all was ready for the feast

Recent Examples on the Web

With runners on second and third, Gammill blooped a single between three Tigers in shallow left-center field to double the lead. —Ethan Westerman, arkansasonline.com, 6 Apr. 2024

Hunter Renfroe saves a run The White Sox scored a run in the sixth inning and had runners on the corners with one out. —Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024

With about 50,000 runners expected to participate in the marathon on the first Sunday in November, the $750,000 the MTA demands works out to $15 per runner. —Jeff Winter, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024

No one is bigger than the reigning Gatorade state cross-country runner of the year Sadie Engelhardt of Ventura. —Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2024

The canine became famous for cheering on marathon runners from the place near Ashland State Park year after year. —Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024

Rider defeated the 8-5A runner up Burleson Centennial 2-1 in overtime on Friday. —Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2024

Brawl in Cell Block 99: A former boxer turned drug runner ends up in a maximum-security prison, where he's forced to fight in brutal prison battles to survive and protect his family from external threats. —Travis Bean, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

Luzardo wound up striking out Brenton Doyle to strand the two runners and cap arguably the best start of his MLB career — seven innings (tying a career high), 13 strikeouts (a career high), one run on four hits and two walks, 115 pitches (a career high). —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing runner

• front-runner
• rainbow runner
• blockade-runner
• base runner
• runner-up
• do a runner
• runner bean
• stretch runner
• scarlet runner bean
• show runner
• runner's high

Kids Definition

runner

noun

run·​ner ˈrən-ər 

1

a

: one that runs

b

: base runner

2

: messenger

3

: a thin piece or part on which something slides

4

a

: a slender creeping stem that arises from the base of a plant

especially : stolon

b

: a plant (as a strawberry) that forms or spreads by runners

5

a

: a long narrow carpet (as for a hall)

b

: a narrow decorative cloth cover for a table or dresser top