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

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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 The former Charlotte bus driver, who just unsuccessfully ran for a Mecklenburg County Commission at-large seat, faces charges of assaulting a federal agent while on federal property. Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 1 Aug. 2026 As token prices decline, demand for these supporting systems may grow because companies will run more models across more tasks. Gerui Wang, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Stewart's two-run single off Wilber Dotel (1-4) in the eighth tied the score 7-7. CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026 The lack of pads, of course, should be factored in yet the offense has shown some success when running towards the left. Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2026 That show ran for eight seasons, ending earlier this year with an 18-episode season. Peter White, Deadline, 31 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ran
Verb
  • Ohtani trotted home on his bad knee – which will prevent him from pitching indefinitely but not hitting – when Freddie Freeman dumped a two-out, two-strike RBI single into center field.
    Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 20 July 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • Since her stage days, Cassie has retreated out of the spotlight.
    Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
  • Trump, too, recently talked about — and then retreated from — plans to charge tolls for safe passage.
    Ron Kampeas, The Washington Examiner, 25 July 2026
Verb
  • More than 40 weekly fitness experiences invite guests to move with intention, from sunrise yoga and Pilates sessions to high-energy strength and conditioning classes led by expert instructors.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 31 July 2026
  • The Rattlers are led by coach Cody Lambert, the co-founder of PBR and a memer of several rodeo halls of fame.
    Cal Phillips July 31, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026
Verb
  • That pressure has ranged from sanctions against members of the White House press corps to regulatory actions through the Federal Communications Commission to outright lawsuits.
    Jocelyn Noveck, Fortune, 25 July 2026
  • Its robotics exhibits ranged from humanoids that could walk, run and manipulate objects to quadrupeds and mobile rovers built for difficult terrain.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 24 July 2026
Verb
  • And the quadrangular system of roads — state, county and township — and all that flowed from them are a historic institutional achievement that drove broader economic and social development.
    Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 26 July 2026
  • In all the time since, the water flowed through that line under the many incarnations of the Sunset Strip, feeding smaller pipes that quenched a growing metropolis that expanded from about 500,000 people to 4 million.
    Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026
Verb
  • Huffy, a brand once dismissed by some but historically durable and even Olympic-raced, has successfully reinvented itself in the e-bike market.
    William Roberson, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Right fielder Wilyer Abreu raced home, tying the game at 4-4.
    Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026
Verb
  • Wall Street has since leaned more toward a potential rate increase, which the central bank can use to help cool inflation.
    ABC News, ABC News, 24 July 2026
  • In another photo, the actress leaned into the camera and gazed off into the water.
    Meg Walters, InStyle, 24 July 2026
Verb
  • The Jayhawks defeated Wichita State on Monday in Wichita, drove back to Lawrence on Tuesday morning, then boarded the bus for Lexington late Tuesday afternoon.
    Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
  • The Iran war triggered a historic oil shortage that drove up fuel costs and catapulted inflation to a three-year high in May, the same month Warsh took the helm of the central bank.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 30 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ran.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ran. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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