1
as in ejected
to drive or force out
the dog often ran off cats and other animals that had intruded upon his owner's property
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in escaped
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
their rebellious daughter's run off because she was disciplined again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in retreated
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
the mouse ran off as soon as it saw us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 off
The shooter ran off north toward 95th Street, police said.
—
Desiree Evans, CBS News, 14 June 2026
The striker, a top scorer in the Saudi Pro League, immediately ran off to celebrate with the bench, marking the first goal of the tournament.
—Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
Weeks go by with most people assuming that Ashe ran off or was killed as a result of his sketchy business dealings.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
The Apaches ran off four straight to tie it at 22.
—Tim Meehan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026
But instead there was a hefty stack of driver’s licenses in there, including Angel’s (Priscilla Delgado), Rue’s love interest who’d supposedly ran off from rehab.
—Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
The person was confronted by a member of Middlesbrough’s personnel and ran off.
—Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 8 May 2026
Desiree Evans, CBS News, 14 June 2026
The striker, a top scorer in the Saudi Pro League, immediately ran off to celebrate with the bench, marking the first goal of the tournament.
—Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
Weeks go by with most people assuming that Ashe ran off or was killed as a result of his sketchy business dealings.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
The Apaches ran off four straight to tie it at 22.
—Tim Meehan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026
But instead there was a hefty stack of driver’s licenses in there, including Angel’s (Priscilla Delgado), Rue’s love interest who’d supposedly ran off from rehab.
—Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
The person was confronted by a member of Middlesbrough’s personnel and ran off.
—Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ran off
Verb
-
The pilot ejected from the aircraft and was picked up by local law enforcement.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
-
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was ejected after JJ Bleday walked in the seventh.—
CBS New York Team,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Kansas City police are continuing to search for a 22-year-old man suspected of instigating a string of shootings Tuesday night, who has now escaped two standoffs with law enforcement.—
Ilana Arougheti
June 18,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
-
Over the course of a 60-yard run, Maradona danced past opponents, escaped challenges and left English defenders helpless before beating the goalkeeper with a clinical finish.—
Cesar R. Torres,
The Conversation,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Oil prices retreated to around $80 a barrel on Friday, down from a peak of $118 in March when the war was at its height.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
19 June 2026
-
The officer retreated and fired several shots, killing the dog and injuring its owner, who was trying to secure the animal, police said.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
In a 55-page decision, a superior court judge has dismissed significant portions of a lawsuit filed by the former Chief Human Resources Officer of Boston Water and Sewer, including all claims against the Herald, alleging she was fired as part of a wide-ranging conspiracy.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
14 June 2026
-
All of which spilled into public view at the City Council meeting, with commissioners claiming that, after numerous meetings, the mayor’s office dismissed their concerns and recommendations for this particular reappointment to the board.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
More than 30 years ago, Anna and her manager and trusted companion, Betsy Samson (a formidable Denise Burse), fled to Europe on the heels of a highbrow scandal.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
The man fled the scene in a vehicle that was later recovered near Interstate 435 and Leavenworth Road.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
When governance is built in instead of bolted on, AI initiatives move faster.—
Art Gilliland,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
The divers also found a piece of the three-feet-by-three-feet, green, day-glow placard that had been bolted to the navigational channel marker before being smashed and dislodged by Pino’s boat, Pomares testified.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
And if they're caught rocking some flops in Cinque Terre, they won't just be outed as a fashion victim.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
-
Phil and Tony butt heads over a litany of issues, but one of the big hangups between the two of them in the first half of season six revolves around one of Tony's top earners, Vito Spatafore, being outed as a gay man.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
After the crash, five occupants of the Ram ran away from the scene.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
-
Bayer and Diaconis — who as a teenager ran away from home to apprentice with a magician specializing in card tricks, before becoming a renowned mathematician — didn’t just prove the existence of a precise cutoff in a real-world system.—
John Pavlus,
Quanta Magazine,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ran off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ran%20off. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
