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

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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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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 On Wednesday, the evening before they were set to dock, the mood seemed far more jovial aboard the ship; sailors were chatting and laughing, some were running a 5K around a deck now free of aircraft. — Mosheh Gains, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2026 Fishing has long dried up in Snook’s Arm, so Calvin and his son Wade (Charlie Heaton) make a living by collecting ice for a local vodka brewery and running an Airbnb out of their home. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026 Standard Chartered has also partnered with HSBC to run a schools outreach scheme, which will start in the first quarter of 2027. — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026 If your supplement stack already runs the length of your bathroom counter, adding another capsule for hair growth deserves scrutiny. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026 Accounting software can automate payroll and other routine tasks, giving you more time to focus on running your business. — Carson Brunson, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026 Stretching across the base of the windshield, the panoramic iDrive display projects information onto a black band that runs from one A-pillar to the other. — New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026 In the three years since Hamas launched its attack, more than 73,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. — Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 For example, a successful Ukrainian author whose print runs for five of her books were destroyed in a Russian attack. — Literary Hub, 7 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
  • After the physical altercation, both men retreated toward their vehicles after witness Jamie Jedlinsky, 70, reportedly stepped in to defuse the situation.
    — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Shares exploded higher by as much as 211% but retreated from those peaks and are starting to form an interesting baseline.
    — Jay Woods, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The aerospace company, led by Elon Musk, struck a deal to acquire a nationwide low-band spectrum that will advance Starlink’s wireless capabilities by enabling the signal to pass through walls and other obstacles.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
  • After firing a bullet into Levy’s head, Jones left the homicide scene in the 800 block of Ipswich Avenue and led officers on a chase.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Creating community El Fenix At its height, Little Mexico's population is estimated to have ranged from 7,000 to 10,000 people.
    — Alexis Guerrero, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The college said similar appointments for visiting leaders have ranged from a week or semester to as long as a year.
    — Nora O’Neill October 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But that night, as the drinks flowed, Pattinson couldn’t help but riff on what an actor might do with the character.
    — Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The money allegedly flowed through a web of companies and bank accounts in Antigua, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and elsewhere.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In Long Beach, with less than two hours before high tide, workers on the Peninsula raced early Sunday morning to build a sand berm stretching westward from 62nd Place.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Both the men’s and women’s Chicago Marathon winners raced to victory in the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 super shoe on Sunday as the German brand continued to dominate the season.
    — Katie Abel, Footwear News, 11 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Rush’s musical complexity leaned towards proggy adventures with time signatures and song structure, while Steely Dan were more inclined to wedge wild stacks of jazz chords into pop songs.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2026
  • This isn’t the first time maximalism has had a moment; 1970s style leaned that way, too.
    — Steven John, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Although robust buyer demand briefly drove yields down to session lows following the auction, yield levels above 5% remain substantially higher than the historical norm over the past decade.
    — , CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The suit says Her displayed doctored, sexualized photos of Henry and other officers, including in Henry's own office, and drove unannounced to a golf simulator in Woodbury where Henry was spending personal time.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ran.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ran. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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