Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

run

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of run

1 a prevailing or general movement or inclination
  • The company's stock has remained consistent with the overall run of the market.
Synonyms of run

current, direction, drift, leaning, tendency, tide, trend, wind
Words Related to run

curve, downside, shift, swing, turn, turnabout, upside

custom, habit, propensity, tenor, way

countercurrent, countertrend

undercurrent, undertow
2 chiefly Midland a natural body of running water smaller than a river
  • a run full of catfish
Synonyms of run

brook, brooklet, creek, rill, rivulet, streamlet
Words Related to run

arroyo, fresh, freshet, runoff

bayou, coulee, slough (also slew), stream, wash

canal, channel, cut, cutoff, gut, kill, millrace, millstream, race, watercourse, waterway

affluent, branch, confluent, distributary, influent, tributary
3 the period during which something exists, lasts, or is in progress
  • The actor has been assigned the part for the run of the show.
Synonyms of run

continuance, date, duration, life, life span, lifetime, standing, time
Words Related to run

spell, stretch

span, tenure, term

hitch, tour, turn

half-life

age, longevity
4 the right to act or move freely
  • The owner gave the dogs the run of the place.
Synonyms of run

authorization, free hand, freedom, latitude, license (or licence)
Words Related to run

authority, clutch, command, control, dominion, grip, hold, mandate, mastery, power, sway

range, room, space

blank check, carte blanche
5 runs plural abnormally frequent intestinal evacuations with more or less fluid stools
  • a bad case of the runs
Synonyms of run

diarrhea, flux, Montezuma's revenge
Words Related to run

dysentery

scour(s)

run

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of run

1 to go at a pace faster than a walk
  • We ran all the way to the bus stop, but still missed the bus.
Synonyms of run

dash, gallop, jog, sprint, trip, trot
Words Related to run

bound, canter, leap, lope, skip, spring

barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bowl, breeze, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, course, foot (it), hasten, hie, hoof (it), hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurry, hurtle, hustle, jet, leg (it), pelt, race, ram, rip, rocket, rush, rustle, shoot, speed, tear, whirl, whisk, zip, zoom

scoot, scurry, scuttle, step (along)
Near Antonyms of run

amble, saunter, shamble, shuffle, stroll

crawl, creep, dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry

lumber, plod, trudge

hobble, limp
2 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 of run

bolt, break, flee, fly, hightail (it), retreat, run away, run off, skedaddle
Words Related to run

abscond, clear out, decamp, elope, escape, get (away), get out, light out, make off, scat, scram, skip (out), skirr
Phrases Synonymous with run

beat a retreat, beat it, make tracks, turn tail
Near Antonyms of run

beard, brave, confront, dare, defy, face

abide, dwell, hang around, linger, remain, stay, stick around, tarry
3 to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction
  • The road runs along the river for a while.
Synonyms of run

bear, extend, go, head, lead, lie
Words Related to run

cross, cut, pass

course, follow, span, traverse
4 to occur within a continuous range of variation
  • The electric bill runs between 30 and 50 dollars a month.
Synonyms of run

go, range, vary
Words Related to run

alternate, fluctuate, move, shift

change, mutate

extend, reach, stretch, sweep
5 to move in a stream
  • water running down the window
Synonyms of run

flow, pour, roll, stream
Words Related to run

arise, emanate, issue, spring

course, race, rush

fountain, gush, spout, spurt

deluge, engulf, flood, inundate, overflow, overrun, swamp

cascade, dribble, drip, gutter, riffle, ripple, sheet, trickle

flush, wash out
Near Antonyms of run

clot, coagulate, congeal, gel, harden, set
Antonyms of run

back up
6 to proceed or move quickly
  • Run and get the nurse!
Synonyms of run

barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bowl, breeze, bundle, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course, dash, drive, fly, hare, hasten, hie, highball, hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurry, hurtle, hustle, jet, jump, motor, nip, pelt, race, ram, rip, rocket, rush, rustle, scoot, scurry, scuttle, shoot, speed, step, tear, travel, trot, whirl, whisk, zip, zoom
Words Related to run

dart, flit, scamper, scud, scuffle

stampede, streak, whiz (or whizz)

gallop, jog, sprint

accelerate, quicken, step out

catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake
Phrases Synonymous with run

beat it, get a move on, make tracks, shake a leg, step on it
Near Antonyms of run

dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry

amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll

decelerate, slow (down or up)
Antonyms of run

crawl, creep, poke
7 to show a liking or proneness (for something)
  • This tree runs to quite tart fruit.
Synonyms of run

incline, lean, tend, trend
Words Related to run

go, gravitate

indicate, point, suggest
Near Antonyms of run

avoid, shun, shy (from or away from)
8 to urge, push, or force onward
  • They ran the horses hard in order to get to the ranch quickly.
Synonyms of run

drive, herd, punch
Words Related to run

shepherd

wrangle

egg, exhort, flog, goad, hound, press, prick, prod, prompt, scourge, spur, whip
9 to control the mechanical operation of
  • I know how to run that machine.
Synonyms of run

handle, operate, work
Words Related to run

use

maneuver, manipulate, ply, wield

command, control, direct, drive, guide, pilot, steer
10 to eventually have as a state or quality
  • The poor woman ran herself ragged trying to get everything done.
Synonyms of run

become, come, get, go, grow, turn, wax
Words Related to run

alter, change, metamorphose, modify, mutate, transfigure, transform, transmute
Near Antonyms of run

abide, be, continue, linger, remain, stay
11 to go from a solid to a liquid state
  • The icing on the cake began to run.
Synonyms of run

deliquesce, flux, fuse, liquefy (also liquify), melt, thaw
Words Related to run

dissolve, render

soften, thin
Near Antonyms of run

clot, coagulate, congeal, gel, jell, jelly, thicken
Antonyms of run

harden, set, solidify
12 to look after and make decisions about
  • learning to run the family business
Synonyms of run

administer, administrate, carry on, conduct, control, direct, govern, guide, handle, keep, manage, operate, overlook, oversee, preside (over), regulate, steward, superintend, supervise, tend
Words Related to run

care (for), mind, watch

lead, pilot, steer

guard, protect, safeguard

micromanage, stage-manage

codirect, comanage
Phrases Synonymous with run

watch over
13 to cause to function
  • In olden days mills were run by flowing water.
Synonyms of run

activate, actuate, crank (up), drive, move, set off, spark, start, touch off, trigger, turn on
Words Related to run

kick over, turn over

charge, electrify, energize, fire, fuel, generate, power, push

discharge, launch, release, switch, trip

reactivate, recharge

arouse, excite, jump-start, kick-start, stimulate, vitalize

ignite, incite, instigate, provoke, quicken, stir up

accelerate, catalyze, speed (up), step up
Near Antonyms of run

arrest, brake, check, cut off, draw up, halt, jam, stall, stick, stop

decelerate, repress, slow, stunt, suppress
Antonyms of run

cut, cut out, deactivate, kill, shut off, turn off
14 to have a price of
  • That sort of computer runs at least several hundred dollars.
Synonyms of run

bring, cost, fetch, go (for), sell (for)
Words Related to run

list (for)

amount (to), come (to), total

command, exact

ask, demand
15 to come or be together as friends
  • They've been running with a bad crowd lately.
Synonyms of run

associate, chum, company, consociate, consort, fraternize, hang (around or out), hobnob, hook up, mess around, pal (around), sort, travel
Words Related to run

affiliate, ally, attach, band, bond, club, collaborate, collude, confederate, conjoin, connect, cooperate, couple, gang, get along, get on, group, interrelate, join, knot, league, link, mingle, mix, rally, relate, side, socialize, team, tie, wed

befriend, friend
Phrases Synonymous with run

be friends with, fall in with, keep company (with), rub elbows (with) or rub shoulders (with) , take up with
Near Antonyms of run

avoid, cold-shoulder, shun, snub

alienate, estrange

break up, disband, disperse, split (up)

disjoin, dissociate, disunite, divorce, sever, split, sunder
16 to go after or on the track of
  • If that dog continues to run cars, he's going to get seriously hurt.
Synonyms of run

bird-dog, chase, course, dog, follow, hound, pursue, shadow, tag, tail, trace, track, trail
Words Related to run

accompany, chaperone (or chaperon), escort

hunt, search (for), seek

eye, observe, watch
Phrases Synonymous with run

run after
Near Antonyms of run

head
Antonyms of run

guide, lead, pilot

Learn More about run

  1. Dictionary: Definition of run Medical Dictionary: Definition of run Spanish Central: Translation of run Nglish: Translation of run for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of run for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up run? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games