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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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12
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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 Serhii Sternenko, who runs a foundation supplying drones to Ukrainian forces and previously served as an adviser to Ukraine's defense minister, also reported the Starlink speed limits and later said the speeds were being limited even further. — Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026 The episode ends with Lee running for his life while McCann shoots into the darkness of the treeline. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026 This year’s edition will also run its fellowship program, with seven fellows mentored by Bhutanese director Dechen Roder and Indian independent filmmakers Umesh Kulkarni and Dominic Sangma. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026 The Agora Works in Progress program will run from November 8 to 12. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026 When Blau and Irving left to run the Repertory Theatre of Lincoln Center, Mandell joined them as their general manager. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 Both universities are running dangerously low on cash reserves despite steep budget cuts. — CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, a Democrat, expressed concern over surveillance footage that shows Parra Hernandez and another person jumping out of a white truck and running as a dark SUV pursues them. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 Idos then helped open Nobu in San Diego, and ran Nobu Hong Kong. — Oren Peleg, HollywoodReporter, 14 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
  • Northern Gritstone led the round and was joined by Parkwalk Northern Universities Venture Fund, UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund, Wren Capital, and angel investors.
    — Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • That extension, coupled with Kalshi’s rehearing petitions, has led the gaming industry to believe the company lacks confidence in its case.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The deceased children ranged in age from six to 14 years old, according to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, where the victims were taken.
    — Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Topics ranged from how to price amenities—rooftop pools, communal barbecues, that sort of thing—to how to maintain pricing discipline during moments of crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 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
  • The individual who inflicted the fatal injury drove the spear downward through the victim’s left chest cavity from the front, piercing major arteries and the lungs before creating the hole in the left scapula.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Ohtani drove the Struggle Bus into Game 3, having struck out seven times in 20 playoff at-bats, with only three singles and no extra-base hits and no RBIs.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ran.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ran. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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