variants
also chiefly dialectal run
1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
5
as in flowed
to move in a stream
water running down the window
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in travelled
to proceed or move quickly
run and get the nurse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
9
10
as in turned
to eventually have as a state or quality
the poor woman ran herself ragged trying to care for all those children
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in melted
to go from a solid to a liquid state
her makeup started to run when she got in the pool
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
12
as in managed
to look after and make decisions about
learning to run the family business
Synonyms & Similar Words
13
as in powered
to cause to function
in olden days mills were run by flowing water
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
14
as in cost
to have a price of
that sort of computer runs at least several hundred dollars
Synonyms & Similar Words
15
as in traveled
to come or be together as friends
he's been running with a bad crowd lately
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
16
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of ran
The country is also the site of the Western Hemisphere’s longest-running internal armed conflict, and constitutionally requires all men between the ages of 18 and 24 to undertake some form of military service.
—
Rebecca Johns, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
Zorian Palmore, who saw time at running back and quarterback, ran for a team-high 68 yards for Trinity.
—Cody Thorn, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Sep. 2025
The Chiefs were out of timeouts, but ahead of the two-minute warning, a stop would give Patrick Mahomes a chance to run KC’s two-minute offense.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
Madsen later had an 11-yard TD run to counter the Eagles’ lone first-half scoring drive, which covered 72 yards in 10 plays.
—Jim Keyser, Idaho Statesman, 6 Sep. 2025
Charrington will not be running the finer points of the club in the way that Levy used to.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
There are six monochrome colors to choose from, and the good news for shoppers who find that their pants tend to run too short or too long is that each colorway has the option to choose between a 31- or 29-inch inseam.
—Annita Katee, Travel + Leisure, 4 Jan. 2025
Mangione's case will run parallel to federal charges, which carry the possibility of the death penalty.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
This time, my dog took off and ran into the yard of a house bordering the park.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 24 Dec. 2024
Rebecca Johns, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
Zorian Palmore, who saw time at running back and quarterback, ran for a team-high 68 yards for Trinity.
—Cody Thorn, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Sep. 2025
The Chiefs were out of timeouts, but ahead of the two-minute warning, a stop would give Patrick Mahomes a chance to run KC’s two-minute offense.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
Madsen later had an 11-yard TD run to counter the Eagles’ lone first-half scoring drive, which covered 72 yards in 10 plays.
—Jim Keyser, Idaho Statesman, 6 Sep. 2025
Charrington will not be running the finer points of the club in the way that Levy used to.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
There are six monochrome colors to choose from, and the good news for shoppers who find that their pants tend to run too short or too long is that each colorway has the option to choose between a 31- or 29-inch inseam.
—Annita Katee, Travel + Leisure, 4 Jan. 2025
Mangione's case will run parallel to federal charges, which carry the possibility of the death penalty.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
This time, my dog took off and ran into the yard of a house bordering the park.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 24 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ran
Verb
-
The final segment, reserved for special teams, gave much of the roster a breather, helmets off and tucked in hands, but then a 35-year-old tight end trotted to an empty neighboring field.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Agustin Ramirez opened the seventh for Miami with a single off Tyler Rogers (4-5), moved to second on a groundout by Heriberto Hernandez, took third on Eric Wagaman’s single, and trotted home on Norby’s flyout to Soto for a 9-8 Miami lead.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Gerson believes the gangs have retreated.—
Johnny Fils-Aimé,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Runner-up Sabalenka, meanwhile, retreated to another area, smashed her racket until the frame buckled and sat with her back against the wall, next to the scratch marks left on the floor.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That new equalized funding formula went into effect after a three-year transition period in 2024, when 44 groups each got $9,269, according to the three-year awards report.—
Claudia Levens,
jsonline.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Following in the menswear trend of the night, Lenny Kravitz went sans shirt at the MTV VMAs.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The data ranged across core business functions — sales, marketing, engineering, recruiting/HR, operations, design, finance and legal — with the 50% decline consistent across the board.—
Trevor Laurence Jockims,
CNBC,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The five members — Montesi, Dressler, fiddlers Maggie MacPhail and Julia Homa, and cellist/pianist Giulia Haible — originally met at the Boston Harbor Scottish Fiddle School ten years ago; at the time their ages ranged from 7 to 11.—
Brett Milano,
Boston Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Gas flow also affects stellar initial masses In another study, published in July 2025, astrophysicist Ke-Jung Chen led a research group at the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics using a detailed computer simulation that modeled how gas in the early universe may have flowed.—
Luke Keller,
Space.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Waterfalls of tequila flowed from enough bottles to lose count, including those in Aguayo’s group.—
Evan Webeck,
Mercury News,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
There was also a group of soldiers who were killed and injured who the general tended to, getting two of the wounded to a hospital.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
6 Sep. 2025
-
In 30 years of acting onscreen, Winters has tended to personify a particular kind of outer-borough rage.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Isn’t the same belief what drove Laura to speak to them?—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Judge drove a full-count splitter from Casey Mize to right-center field, giving New York a 1-0 lead.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Butler's sister-in-law baked a beautiful red velvet cake and a close friend handled music, hair and more.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The visiting bench complained that Barca’s Kika Nazareth had handled the ball, but the referee dismissed their appeal.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ran.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ran. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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