ran

variants also chiefly dialectal run
Definition of rannext
past tense of run
1
2
3
as in led
to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction the road runs along the river for a while

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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5
6
7
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

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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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14
as in cost
to have a price of that sort of computer runs at least several hundred dollars

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16

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 Jeff Stotts, an athletic trainer who runs a site that tracks sports injuries, wrote that since 2005, just one player had sustained a torn labrum like Wallace’s and returned later that season. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026 The man running as a Libertarian for that Senate seat in Texas, one Ted Brown, had the best line of the day. — Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026 Picket Fence Bakery is a cottage operation that Blake runs from her Orlando home. — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026 Butler also walked us through how to break down the bird ourselves—find the breastbone with your thumb, run the knife along the keel, and the breast comes away in one clean piece the color of a dark plum. — Heide Brandes, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026 Clements is charged with two counts of first-degree homicide by vehicle, hit and run resulting in serious injury or death, stalking, and concealing the death of another. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026 Waivers ran last night and interestingly enough, Braelon Allen & Jonah Coleman got dropped. — Jake Ciely, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026 If Miami can’t run effectively the entire offense has to make a major adjustment. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026 Brightness jumps from a peak of 500 nits to 1,200 nits, and can run as low as 1 nit to save power in low-light environments. — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 28 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ran
Verb
  • Just after the sun melted into the sea a deer trotted by, followed by its more nervous baby.
    — David G. Allan, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
  • In the 10th, automatic runner Joey Ortiz advanced on a bunt and trotted home when Frelick bounced a single to right field off Grant Wolfram (6-4).
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • As the Laurentide retreated across the plateau, tundra plants colonized the newly bare ground.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Oct. 2026
  • As the world has become more and more connected, governments have retreated from global problems.
    — David Miliband, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The students led those protests before challenging and defeating Vucic at the early ballot on Sunday.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Kenya revealed details last month of a partnership with pan-African sports investment outfit Zaria Group — led by Dallas Mavericks President Masai Ujiri — to build a 10,000-seater indoor arena in Nairobi.
    — Martin K.N Siele, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But most aldermen have ranged from cautious to hostile to the proposal.
    — Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Their concerns ranged from noise pollution to water depletion to higher water and energy bills.
    — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 27 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • From there, wine flowed as attendees tucked into filet mignon and sea bass while chatting across large burgundy floral centerpieces.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
  • While the broader economy has grown at a healthy rate, the gains have disproportionately flowed to the wealthiest households.
    — Josephine Murphy, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Crowell snagged Brady Allen's pass and raced 46 yards down the right side for a 17-7 halftime lead.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Griffin Wilde, who finished with 133 receiving yards, Alex Honig and Drew Wagner caught passes for scores as Northwestern (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) raced to a 28-3 lead late in the first half.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • There’s something so unsettling about a game show where the contestants’ well-being is not considered, and The Tonight Show leaned into that uncanniness to great effect.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The Horned Frogs leaned more on their passing game as the run game took a step back significantly in 2023.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In March 2024, House Republicans released a previously undisclosed transcript of the Select Committee's interview with a Secret Service officer who drove the presidential SUV.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
  • But World Cup momentum drove results across linear TV and streamer ViX in Mexico, where TelevisaUnivision had rights to the matches.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ran.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ran. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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