RAN Synonyms: 485 Similar and Opposite Words

ran

verb

variants also chiefly dialectal run

Definition of ran

past tense of run

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

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Relevance

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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

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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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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 flowed

to move in a stream water running down the window

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as in raced

to proceed or move quickly run and get the nurse

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as in leaned

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

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as in drove

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

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as in operated

to control the mechanical operation of I know how to run that machine

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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 melted

to go from a solid to a liquid state her makeup started to run when she got in the pool

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as in managed

to look after and make decisions about learning to run the family business

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as in triggered

to cause to function in olden days mills were run by flowing water

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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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as in traveled

to come or be together as friends he's been running with a bad crowd lately

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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

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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 Injuries, pitching problems, batting with runners in scoring position and base-running issues all come to mind quickly. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2026 The TikTok edits, the outfit identification threads, the contestant rivalries trending on X by the end of an episode, all of it turns 60 minutes of passive viewing into a multi-platform conversation that runs all week. — Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026 Several Democrats have announced plans to run for the Senate nomination this week. — Meg Kinnard, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026 This is Gordo and Tracy sacrificing themselves by running onto the moon’s surface with only duct-tape suits to stop a nuclear reactor from melting down. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 July 2026 The service Owners Phil and Silvia Baxter run the show here alongside their wonderful general manager James. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026 The Democratic state senator is running for governor in Arkansas, where voters have three times backed a president who’s used executive orders to test and ignore the limits of his power. — Andrew Demillo, Washington Post, 10 July 2026 The beloved Polish businesswoman who ran her herb and floral business for 37 years decided to pass on the business to her friend’s daughter. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 10 July 2026 United need someone who has the pace and presence to make a 30-yard recovery run and stop a cutback cross when needed. — Carl Anka, New York Times, 10 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ran

Verb

Joe Biden famously trotted across the road shaking hands and kissing babies during Pittsburgh’s Labor Day parade in 2015.

— Salena Zito, Washington Post, 1 July 2026
About 100 yards to the right, a herd of caribou trotted past.

— Dolores Brown, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026

Definition of trotted

Verb

Meghan and Harry retreated from the royal spotlight in 2020, sparking global controversy and dividing opinion in Britain.

— Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 6 July 2026
McBreairty then retreated into the riverbed, and SWAT officers were called in to assist with the search, as were members of the Police Department’s Emergency Negotiation Team.

— Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2026

Definition of retreated

Verb

Sacramento led 70-58 at the end of the third quarter and went up by as many as 16 in the fourth.

— Jason Anderson July 9, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
The top deals in the region were led by aerospace and defense companies Anduril Industries, which raised $5 billion, and Impulse Space, which attracted $500 million.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026

Definition of led

Verb

Blue Jays outfielder Myles Straw threw a perfect bottom of the eighth with pitches that ranged between 38 mph and 61 mph.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
The last time that ratio ranged so high was in the mid-2000s, at the peak of the millennial housing bubble, Pew reports.

— Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Definition of ranged

Verb

Iran’s bargaining chip Authorities in Iran have repeatedly used the Strait of Hormuz – through which around a fifth of the world’s crude flowed before the war – as a bargaining chip.

— Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
Still, by the end of the concert, a soggy yet determined crowd of 4,750 had flowed through the park grounds.

— Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

Definition of flowed

Verb

The Speed actor met Hollinger — who raced motorcycles as a child until age 34, eventually launching his own custom-bike building business — in 2009, when Reeves commissioned Hollinger to build a bike for him.

— Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026
An islandwide blackout plunged Cuba’s nearly 10 million residents into darkness Monday, exposing a crumbling power grid and dwindling fuel reserves as officials raced to restore electricity.

— Milexsy Durán, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026

Definition of raced

Verb

Democrats, who leaned heavily on small-dollar fundraising in recent election cycles, warned the decision would further expand the influence of megadonors and wealthy political networks in federal campaigns.

— David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 4 July 2026
The festival positions itself as the major platform for German film and filmmakers, but has also leaned heavily into co-production and expanded its international output.

— Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 3 July 2026

Definition of leaned

Verb

In April, in a four-game series against the New York Yankees, Trout hit five home runs and drove in nine runs.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Liberal return policies surged during the pandemic, with free return windows that can extend to as much as six months, as lockdown-weary shoppers drove an e-commerce boom.

— Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 9 July 2026