run out

verb

ran out; run out; running out; runs out

intransitive verb

1
a
: to come to an end : expire
time ran out
b
: to become exhausted or used up
the gasoline ran out
2
: to jut out

transitive verb

1
a
: to finish out (a course, a series, a contest, etc.) : complete
b
of a baseball batter : to run hard to first base after hitting (a batted ball)
ran out the grounder
2
a
: to fill out (a typeset line) with quads, leaders, or ornaments
b
: to set (a line of text, such as the first line of a paragraph) with a hanging indention
3
: to exhaust (oneself) in running
4
: to cause to leave by force or coercion : expel
Phrases
run out of
: to use up the available supply of
ran out of time
run out on
: desert

Examples of run out in a Sentence

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.
The money used to pay private attorneys appointed to represent defendants in Charlotte, North Carolina and across the U.S. federal courts has run out. Julia Coin july 23, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2025 The Midway store, which had stopped stocking handheld shopping baskets, frequently ran out of shopping carts in recent months, despite a major restocking in April, and blamed the shortage on cart theft. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 22 July 2025 Tom Fletcher, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, told the UN Security Council on Thursday that food was running out in Gaza. Tim Lister, CNN Money, 21 July 2025 Executive producer and showrunner Rebecca Cutter risks running out of steam in the back half of the season, let alone in a second. Judy Berman, Time, 21 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for run out

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of run out was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Run out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/run%20out. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

run out

verb
1
: to come to an end : expire
time ran out before we could tie the game
2
: to become exhausted or used up
our supplies were running out

More from Merriam-Webster on run out

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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