run-up

1 of 2

noun

ˈrən-ˌəp 

1

: the act of running up something

2

: a usually sudden increase in volume or price

3

: a period immediately preceding an action or event

run up

2 of 2

verb

ran up; run up; running up; runs up

intransitive verb

: to grow rapidly : shoot up

transitive verb

1

: bid up

2

: to stitch together quickly

3

: to erect hastily

4

: to achieve by accumulating

ran up a big lead

Examples of run-up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

That’s one of the reasons for this week’s price run-up in silver and silver stocks – now playing catch-up with the yellow metal. —John Navin, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025

Rodríguez, who was an LAFC player from 2019-22 before being sold to América, converted his penalty by going largely down the center after a lengthy run-up to beat Lloris, breaking the deadlock and giving América the game’s first goal. —Avi Creditor, New York Times, 1 June 2025

Verb

The pair ran up to Nafees, threatened him with a knife, and beat him unconscious, police said. —Sheetal Banchariya, New York Daily News, 5 June 2025

Much like Indiana, Oklahoma City loves to run up and down the court. —Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for run-up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

run up

verb

: to cause to pile up : accumulate

ran up a big telephone bill