ran

variants also chiefly dialectal run
Definition of rannext
past tense of run
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as in led
to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction the road runs along the river for a while

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4
as in ranged
to occur within a continuous range of variation the electric bill runs between 30 and 50 dollars a month

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as in leaned
to show a liking or proneness (for something) unfortunately, members of his family run to fatness

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

8
as in drove
to urge, push, or force onward they ran the horses hard in order to get to the ranch quickly

Synonyms & Similar Words

9
as in operated
to control the mechanical operation of I know how to run that machine

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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

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as in cost
to have a price of that sort of computer runs at least several hundred dollars

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ran The backstory Iva and Renato are the third generation of Iva’s family to run the business, started by Iva’s great-uncle Zorko and his wife Rita (merging their names to create Zori) back in 1947. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026 Nakase rolled with the bench unit for much of the fourth quarter, asking Kaitlyn Chen to run point and Hayes to create off the dribble. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026 Prosecutors allege that Clancy planned the killings by sending her husband to run errands, and then, while he was gone, using exercise bands to strangle Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and Callan, 8 months. Melina Khan, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 Early clips from the event appear to showcase advances in the speed at which robots can now run. J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Where models driven for 100,000 miles would have been considered junkyard fodder back in the 1960s and ‘70s, contemporary models can run for 200,000 or more miles if properly maintained. Jim Gorzelany, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 With both sides of the aisle keeping an eye toward the 2028 presidential election, Hunter Biden isn’t even flirting with the idea of running. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026 The company has been quiet about the issue aside from that statement (which isn’t uncommon, especially given the legal risks) and didn’t specifically name who ran the campaign. Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026 Back-to-School Pricing The Back-to-School promotion runs from July 24 through August 23 for students, remote workers, and home users updating their workspaces. New Atlas, 21 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ran
Verb
  • Earlier this month, bulldozers were videoed uprooting trees and shoveling dirt as wild animals trotted by.
    Ashley Killough, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • This time, Maye tossed an interception downfield, and trotted off toward the sideline in defeat.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • While that unfolded, Justin Crawford retreated to the Phillies dugout.
    Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • When the Hills couple faced financial issues after the show ended, the two retreated to Pratt’s parents’ beach home in Carpinteria, California, to get back to regular life.
    Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The recovery ended a search that began on July 31 after the expedition, led by renowned climber Nirmal Purja, was swept away by an avalanche on Broad Peak.
    ABC News, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Chow, a trial lawyer by trade, led her own defense during the court case which – like all of Hong Kong’s national security cases – was heard by a panel of three judges selected to oversee such proceedings and not a jury.
    Chris Lau, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • His comments ranged widely, covering the latest battlefield developments, efforts to counter Russian ballistic attacks, the state of peace negotiations, Ukraine’s budgetary challenges and the political turmoil surrounding Fedorov’s dismissal.
    ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Conversations ranged from futuristic descriptions of everyday flying car trips to the ongoing struggles over funding for electric transit buses.
    Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Both Kpler and Windward showed around five ships – total – exited the Strait of Hormuz on the day Wright said 20 million barrels flowed out of the Arab gulf region.
    David Goldman, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • In Nebraska, millions of federal grant dollars have flowed to a statewide health information exchange nonprofit that has cooperated with the effort.
    Jennifer D. Oliva, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • And Ian Happ raced around from first to score on the throwing error, giving the Cubs a 4-3 lead.
    LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Tara Rudd drove toward Angel City’s back line and threaded a pass through to Rodman, who raced downfield and curled a shot just over goalkeeper Angelina Anderson.
    Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • So, lacking any clear, unambiguous guidance on the future of V2X networks, autonomous-car makers—like Waymo, Tesla, Zoox, and Cruise—have leaned more on self-reliance, bulking up each vehicle with as many sensors and GPUs as possible.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Not just anyone could pull off the beachy, free-spirited sandals, but her fashion sensibility has always leaned towards the ethereal and romantic.
    Christian Allaire, Vogue, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Clemens drove in three runs and Kaelen Culpepper added three hits for Minnesota.
    CBS News, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Youssef Maziz drove a ball into the box on a free kick from 25 yards out on the near side following a Yevhen Cheberko yellow card.
    Daily News, Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ran.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ran. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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