running mate
noun
1
2
: a horse entered in a race to set the pace for a horse of the same owner or stable
3
: a candidate running for a subordinate place on a ticket
especially
: the candidate for vice president
Examples of running mate in a Sentence
When John F. Kennedy ran for president, his running mate was Lyndon Johnson.
inseparable running mates who first met when they were in elementary school
Recent Examples on the Web
Jaylen Brown has elevated his offense to — in the opinion of LeBron James, at least — an MVP level this season with running mate Jayson Tatum rehabbing from a torn Achilles tendon.
—
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 26 Feb. 2026
Addressing Black ministers in Los Angeles in 1995, the hurt still showed as Jackson railed at the injustice of beating Al Gore in the presidential primaries, only to watch as he was tapped by Bill Clinton to be his running mate in 1992.
—Johanna Neuman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Delgado, meanwhile, is staking out his position to the left of Hochul, and tapped India Walton, a progressive, to be his running mate.
—Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Interior running mate Christian Barmore will have opportunities to push around the Ravens’ offensive guards, both weak spots in their pass protection.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for running mate
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Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 26 Feb. 2026
Addressing Black ministers in Los Angeles in 1995, the hurt still showed as Jackson railed at the injustice of beating Al Gore in the presidential primaries, only to watch as he was tapped by Bill Clinton to be his running mate in 1992.
—Johanna Neuman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Delgado, meanwhile, is staking out his position to the left of Hochul, and tapped India Walton, a progressive, to be his running mate.
—Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Interior running mate Christian Barmore will have opportunities to push around the Ravens’ offensive guards, both weak spots in their pass protection.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for running mate
Cite this Entry
“Running mate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/running%20mate. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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