runaway

1 of 3

noun

run·​away ˈrə-nə-ˌwā 

1

: one that runs away from danger, duty, or restraint : fugitive

2

: the act of running away out of control

also : something (such as a horse) that is running out of control

3

: a one-sided or overwhelming victory

runaway

2 of 3

adjective

1

a

: running away : fugitive

b

: leaving to gain special advantages (such as lower wages) or avoid disadvantages (such as governmental or union restrictions)

runaway shipping firms

a runaway shop

2

: accomplished by elopement or during flight

3

: won by or having a long lead

a runaway success

also : extremely successful

a runaway bestseller

4

: subject to uncontrolled changes

runaway inflation

5

: being or operating out of control

a runaway oil well

a runaway nuclear reactor

run away

3 of 3

verb

ran away; run away; running away; runs away

intransitive verb

1

a

: to leave quickly in order to avoid or escape something

b

: to leave home

especially : elope

2

: to run out of control : stampede, bolt

3

: to gain a substantial lead : win by a large margin

see also run away with

Synonyms

Adjective

• rampant
• uncontrolled

Verb

• escape
• flee
• run off
• fly
• get out

Examples of runaway in a Sentence

Adjective

The play was a runaway success.

a region plagued by runaway suburban sprawl

Verb

ran away from an unhappy marriage

the child runs away from large dogs

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Lithium batteries are capable of a process called thermal runaway, per the FAA. —Colson Thayer, People.com, 11 Aug. 2025

Law enforcement determined the child is not a runaway, and a custody dispute is not the sole reason for requesting an activation. —Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 25 July 2025

Adjective

The dual action – calming runaway inflammation while restraining tumor growth – makes N50 F2 a strong candidate for new anti-cancer therapies. —New Atlas, 15 Aug. 2025

And in Chicago, long a Republican example of runaway disorder, violent crime is down 22% compared to the same period last year. —Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2025

Verb

The clock strikes 2:17 am, and as if heeding some sort of Pied Piper’s call, 17 children run away. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025

These are among the biography’s biggest revelations: Colonel Tom Parker ran away from home repeatedly and claimed to have been adopted multiple times. —Kim Willis, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for runaway

• aaa
• adonais
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway

Kids Definition

runaway

1 of 3 noun

run·​away ˈrən-ə-ˌwā 

1

: a person who runs away : fugitive

2

: the act of running away out of control

also : something (as a horse) that is running out of control

runaway

2 of 3 adjective

1

: running away : fugitive

2

: being out of control

run away

3 of 3 verb

ˌrən-ə-ˈwā

1

: to leave in a hurry especially to escape from danger or confinement

2

: to leave home