1
: a final race, contest, or election to decide an earlier one that has not resulted in a decision in favor of any one competitor
2
: the portion of precipitation on land that ultimately reaches streams often with dissolved or suspended material
ran off; run off; running off; runs off
1
a
: to recite, compose, or produce rapidly
b
: to cause to be run or played to a finish
c
: to decide (a race) by a runoff
d
2
: to drain off : draw off
3
a
: to drive off (someone, such as a trespasser)
b
: to steal (animals, such as cattle) by driving away
see also run off with
Synonyms
Examples of runoff in a Sentence
Verb
the dog often ran off cats and other animals that had intruded upon his owner's property
their rebellious daughter's run off because she was disciplined again
Recent Examples on the Web
Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 18 Apr. 2024
Samuel Beavers will resign from the Jefferson County Election Commission following Wednesday night’s meeting to certify the April 2 runoff elections for mayor and Ward 3 councilman.
—The Pine Bluff Commercial, arkansasonline.com, 9 Apr. 2024
However, the study also revealed that resorts with poor management practices and more sedimentation and runoff can harm the reefs.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024
The latter factors in 30,000 gallons of runoff water that is stored underground for irrigation.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 5 Apr. 2024
Corpus later scored a decisive victory in that election — avoiding a runoff and becoming one of California’s first Latina sheriffs, as well as the first woman elected sheriff in San Mateo County’s 166-year history and the first challenger in decades to defeat an incumbent sheriff.
—Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
The national electoral commission has not yet announced the tally, but Mr. Ba’s concession followed reports by local media that Mr. Faye had won more than 50 percent of the vote, ruling out a runoff.
—Ruth MacLean, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024
In a more recent example, U.S. officials pushed the Haitian government to include Michel Martelly in the 2011 presidential runoff.
—Matthew Brown, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2024
The water in the spa is contaminated with bacterial runoff.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024
Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2024
The assailant ran off, leaving evidence that police declined to describe.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
At one point, the person recording the clip was heard off-camera saying that the raccoon had grabbed a young girl’s shoe from her foot and ran off with it.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
For a start, both devices can run off either AAA or AA batteries with up to 36 months between battery changes.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Riker hit the median and lost control of his vehicle, fishtailing and running off into a ditch.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2024
But most of this runs off the land, owing to a dearth of aquifers and impermeable bedrock, leading to crop failures and lack of drinking water.
—Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Apr. 2024
The car ran off the left side of the roadway and hit a tree.
—Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2024
Videos on TikTok are surfacing of clients running off on their stylists after spending 8+ hours on a braided hairstyle.
—Essence, 8 Apr. 2024
Noun
The dirt two-track twists through Mud Tanks Draw, an area of low ground between ridges where water runoff collects in a chain of pools, rivulets and mucky ponds.
—Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 18 Apr. 2024
Samuel Beavers will resign from the Jefferson County Election Commission following Wednesday night’s meeting to certify the April 2 runoff elections for mayor and Ward 3 councilman.
—The Pine Bluff Commercial, arkansasonline.com, 9 Apr. 2024
However, the study also revealed that resorts with poor management practices and more sedimentation and runoff can harm the reefs.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024
The latter factors in 30,000 gallons of runoff water that is stored underground for irrigation.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 5 Apr. 2024
Corpus later scored a decisive victory in that election — avoiding a runoff and becoming one of California’s first Latina sheriffs, as well as the first woman elected sheriff in San Mateo County’s 166-year history and the first challenger in decades to defeat an incumbent sheriff.
—Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
The national electoral commission has not yet announced the tally, but Mr. Ba’s concession followed reports by local media that Mr. Faye had won more than 50 percent of the vote, ruling out a runoff.
—Ruth MacLean, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024
In a more recent example, U.S. officials pushed the Haitian government to include Michel Martelly in the 2011 presidential runoff.
—Matthew Brown, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2024
The water in the spa is contaminated with bacterial runoff.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024
Verb
Officers were looking for the gunman, who ran off after the shooting.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2024
The assailant ran off, leaving evidence that police declined to describe.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
At one point, the person recording the clip was heard off-camera saying that the raccoon had grabbed a young girl’s shoe from her foot and ran off with it.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
For a start, both devices can run off either AAA or AA batteries with up to 36 months between battery changes.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Riker hit the median and lost control of his vehicle, fishtailing and running off into a ditch.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2024
But most of this runs off the land, owing to a dearth of aquifers and impermeable bedrock, leading to crop failures and lack of drinking water.
—Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Apr. 2024
The car ran off the left side of the roadway and hit a tree.
—Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2024
Videos on TikTok are surfacing of clients running off on their stylists after spending 8+ hours on a braided hairstyle.
—Essence, 8 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'runoff.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to runoff
Dictionary Entries Near runoff
Cite this Entry
“Runoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/runoff. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
runoff
1 of 2 noun
run·off
ˈrən-ˌȯf 
1
: a final contest or election to decide an earlier one that has not given the victory to one competitor
2
: water from rain or snow that flows over the surface of the ground and finally into streams
run off
2 of 2 verbˈrən-ˈȯf,
ˌrən-
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