ran

variants also chiefly dialectal run
Definition of rannext
past tense of run
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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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7
as in leaned
to show a liking or proneness (for something) unfortunately, members of his family run to fatness

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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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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 John Gaspar was not expecting the winter heating bills for his Chicago studio apartment to top $160 a month, especially since running the air conditioning over the summer was not particularly expensive. Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 12 Feb. 2026 Once fully operational, the campus is designed to deliver 1GW of capacity, giving the company flexibility to run both its core digital platforms and fast-growing AI workloads. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 12 Feb. 2026 The beloved teen drama, which followed Dawson and his friends, Joey Potter (Katie Holmes), Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson) and Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams) ran for six seasons. Erin Jensen, USA Today, 12 Feb. 2026 On Wednesday, a few players expressed their own confidence in the Yankees’ run it back approach. Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026 After that, they have been required to take a two-year hiatus before running for a board seat again. Pete Hammond, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026 The series ran from 2012 to 2013. Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026 The cybersecurity company then released its own Moltworker platform, especially for securely running the Moltbot. Samantha Subin, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026 Easter runs early in 2026 due to the calendar system. Chris Sims, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ran
Verb
  • Mustafa said as the man trotted down the stairs, mumbling something—a prayer, a curse.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
  • After initially laying motionless on the field surrounded by medical staff, Toure eventually trotted off the field under his own power.
    Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 20 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Keller then challenged him to a fight and the student retreated into the hall.
    Katie Langford, Denver Post, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Mohr wrote the 12 songs on Carve over the course of five years, and eventually retreated to the rural Mojave Desert to properly record them.
    Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Leonard led the Clippers (25-28) with 24 points after scoring 41 in a blowout win in December in the last meeting between the teams.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Lemon’s legal team is led by prominent Washington DC attorney Abbe Lowell.
    Whitney Wild, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The incidents ranged from a shootout in Maryvale to Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers serving a search warrant at a civil traffic stop in Chandler.
    Helen Rummel, AZCentral.com, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Daily increases ranged from $2 to $10, based on the parking area.
    Chase Jordan February 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • For decades, a significant share of the world's rough diamonds flowed into Antwerp from Russia.
    Chris Livesay, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
  • This time, condemnations flowed from across the spectrum — along with demands for an apology that had not come by late afternoon.
    Bill Barrow, Fortune, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • For much of 2025, the company, like other major tech firms, raced to strike deals and pour in investment.
    Rosa de Acosta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Dustin Boyd, of Crown Point, raced both circuits on his Yamaha Raptor.
    Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Less than 24 hours after reshaping part of their roster, Brooklyn made another set of moves ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, continuing an active stretch that’s leaned heavily into flexibility, future assets and controllable young wings.
    C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
  • The pullback is also proving painful for companies and investors that leaned heavily into bitcoin during the rally.
    Allie Canal, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Employment in health care again drove payroll gains in January, adding 82,000 jobs.
    Rachel Barber, USA Today, 12 Feb. 2026
  • His latest model, the Nike Ja 3, has drawn significant praise for a more radical design than its two predecessors and drove him to becoming StockX‘s second bestselling signature athlete.
    Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 11 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ran.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ran. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.

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