variants
also chiefly dialectal run
1
as in trotted
to go at a pace faster than a walk
we ran all the way to the bus stop, but still missed the bus
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in retreated
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
rather than run from a black bear, it's better to hold your ground and make lots of noise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
5
as in flowed
to move in a stream
water running down the window
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in raced
to proceed or move quickly
run and get the nurse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
9
as in operated
to control the mechanical operation of
I know how to run that machine
Synonyms & Similar Words
10
as in became
to eventually have as a state or quality
the poor woman ran herself ragged trying to care for all those children
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in melted
to go from a solid to a liquid state
her makeup started to run when she got in the pool
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
12
as in managed
to look after and make decisions about
learning to run the family business
Synonyms & Similar Words
13
as in triggered
to cause to function
in olden days mills were run by flowing water
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
14
as in cost
to have a price of
that sort of computer runs at least several hundred dollars
Synonyms & Similar Words
15
as in traveled
to come or be together as friends
he's been running with a bad crowd lately
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
16
as in chased
to go after or on the track of
if that dog continues to run cars, he's going to get seriously hurt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of ran
Those who are running are nice enough.
—
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
According to an electoral profile of the former soldier, who is running as a Green Party candidate for a North Carolina senate seat, McGinnis served with the Marines from 2000 to 2004.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 5 Mar. 2026
Clear agreements keep teamwork running smoothly.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
There was only one noticeable change between the course that press and Dream Teamers ran as opposed to the actual players.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026
Anyone captured running a red light during that time will receive a warning notice in the mail but will not be fined.
—Nina Burns, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2026
The sentence was to run concurrently with his parole violation.
—Robert A. Cronkleton
march 4, Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2026
As state comptroller, Scanlon runs the state employee health plan.
—Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 4 Mar. 2026
Foushee’s not going to run for president.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 4 Mar. 2026
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
According to an electoral profile of the former soldier, who is running as a Green Party candidate for a North Carolina senate seat, McGinnis served with the Marines from 2000 to 2004.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 5 Mar. 2026
Clear agreements keep teamwork running smoothly.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
There was only one noticeable change between the course that press and Dream Teamers ran as opposed to the actual players.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026
Anyone captured running a red light during that time will receive a warning notice in the mail but will not be fined.
—Nina Burns, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2026
The sentence was to run concurrently with his parole violation.
—Robert A. Cronkleton
march 4, Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2026
As state comptroller, Scanlon runs the state employee health plan.
—Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 4 Mar. 2026
Foushee’s not going to run for president.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ran
Verb
-
From there, letters were ferried by boat and trotted by stagecoach up to North Carolina, where important correspondence was loaded onto a steam locomotive to Virginia.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
-
On Saturday, the Argyle Lunar New Year Parade trotted through the Uptown neighborhood.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That’s double the number recorded in 2021, when the US retreated from Kabul and the Afghan Taliban returned to power.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
-
One officer fired five rounds toward Rohloff, who retreated into the home.—
Erik S. Hanley,
jsonline.com,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Two of those early projects focused on fusion energy and were led by scientists from the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
-
By the time the mistake was realized and the wayward runners were led back onto the race course, they had been overtaken by rest of the field.—
Kevin Dotson,
CNN Money,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When Arsenal were consistently fielding the youngest teams in the Premier League between 2008-09 and 2011-12, their average age across those seasons ranged from 24 years and one month to 25 years and 280 days.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
-
The specials ranged from $9 for a margherita pizza to $14 for one topped with prosciutto and gobs of burrata cheese, pictured above.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
More than 14 million barrels per day flowed through the Strait in 2025, or a third of the world’s total seaborne crude exports.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Alas, the cash windfall in network television residuals (just ask the cast of Friends) has not flowed from other residual streams.—
Thomas Doherty,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Chatfield raced out to an 11-3 lead, but Staples-Motley closed the dual on a 38-3 run to claim the crown.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
27 Feb. 2026
-
And although most of his contemporaries who have hit the three-quarter century mark are enjoying retirement or at least slowing their roll, the ZZ Top founding member raced into 2026 with plenty planned, including a gig Saturday at Variety Playhouse.—
Dave Gil de Rubio,
AJC.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Cliffside Confessions Since establishing his BASE jump guiding company in 2022, LaJeunesse has leaned into the hardships some of his clients want to face.—
Maya Silver,
Outside,
25 Feb. 2026
-
The Oscar nominee leaned into the logomania trend earlier this month, posing for Instagram photos in a sheer little black dress interwoven with Gucci's signature monogram.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Kaitlyn Thurman had 3 hits, including a home run, scored 3 runs and drove in 6 runs for West.—
NWA Democrat-Gazette,
Arkansas Online,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Stacey Wondra told the detectives that after placing Michael in the duffel bag, the group drove him to a house in Kuna and put him in a spare room, the affidavit said.—
Alex Brizee
March 3,
Idaho Statesman,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ran.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ran. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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