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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Throughout the memoir, Harris elaborated on her relationship with the Bidens, her mistakes during the campaign, and the reasoning behind important decisions, including selecting her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN). Sydney Topf, The Washington Examiner, 23 Sep. 2025 Harris wrote that Pete Buttigieg, Biden’s transportation secretary and a former mayor from Indiana, was her first choice to be her running mate. Chris Megerian, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025 Kamala Harris has revealed that Tim Walz was not her first choice to be her running mate in the 2024 presidential election. Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025 The Timberwolves spent $225 million this summer to keep Julius Randle and Naz Reid as running mates for Anthony Edwards, and the Wolves return all but one key rotation player from a team that has made it to the Western Conference finals in each of the last two seasons. Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for running mate

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of running mate was in 1867

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Cite this Entry

“Running mate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/running%20mate. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

running mate

noun
: a candidate running for a lesser office (as vice president) who is on the same ticket with the candidate for the top office
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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