run away 1 of 3

verb

Definition of run awaynext
1
as in to escape
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation ran away from an unhappy marriage

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to retreat
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening the child runs away from large dogs

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

runaway

2 of 3

adjective

as in rampant
showing no signs of being under control a region plagued by runaway suburban sprawl

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

runaway

3 of 3

noun

as in sweep

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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 run away
Verb
In June 1981, Nissensohn picked up 14-year-old Tanya Jones and 13-year-old Tammy Jarschke, who had run away from a Seaside foster home, and drove them from a Denny’s restaurant in Monterey County to a remote area in Los Padres National Forest. — Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026 Toney was running away from defenders all season and running toward the Heisman Trophy. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2026
Adjective
With anxieties rising across the land, the couple’s relationship begins to fracture when Sovieshu falls in love with a runaway slave and attempts to move heaven and earth to win her heart. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2026 In some versions, she’s described as a morally deplorable witch taking part in the abuse of runaway slaves who was ultimately burned for her misdeeds and buried near the cemetery. — Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026
Noun
Police initially deemed Lashaya Stine a runaway, but evidence pointed to foul play. — Eileen Murphy, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 But those observations are more compelling when applied to Alice, a former teen-age runaway who, in another life, might have ended up where Catherine is now. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for run away
Recent Examples of Synonyms for run away
  1. escape
  2. retreat
  3. rampant
  4. sweep
  5. flee
  6. fly
  7. uncontrolled
  8. blowout
Verb
  • Police said he is wanted on a felony arrest warrant charging him with resisting police, disarming a police officer, escape from custody, and operating a vehicle as a habitual traffic violator.
    — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Anticipating the backlash, Franklyn had already booked an island getaway to escape the noise.
    — Anna Tingley, Variety, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of escape
Verb
  • Drunk on pollen and nectar, the bees retreat to their hives for the night, carefully and methodically, as if driven by a higher intelligence, an anonymous architect, or pure chance.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated more than 1,800 points, or more than 3%, and the broad market S&P 500 pulled back more than 4%.
    — Sean Conlon,Gina Francolla,Christopher Hayes,Nick Wells, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of retreat
Adjective
  • James Tomsheck, the former head of internal affairs for the Border Patrol, who was forced out of his job in 2014, alleged a culture of rampant impunity and corruption, saying that very few agents are willing to publicly voice complaints.
    — Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • In higher education, despite the Regents oversight responsibilities, SED has been silent about Cornell University’s mishandling of student gang rape allegations and rampant drug abuse.
    — David Bloomfield, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of rampant
Noun
  • Texas’ Democratic sweep has raised questions about whether California transplants helped turn the state blue, but experts doubt the newcomers drove the shift.
    — Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The tech world—and the markets built on top of it—is still figuring out how to feel about last week’s momentous Democratic midterm sweep.
    — Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of sweep
Verb
  • The sisters hoped to join their mother and a brother who had fled El Salvador a few years earlier and were living in Tennessee.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Some megabillionaires have already fled California since the tax was proposed.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of flee
Verb
  • Can returning troops still fly military standby if in uniform?
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Its flying-wing configuration, composite material, and radar-absorbing coatings help reduce its radar signature.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of fly
Adjective
  • Often linked to high blood pressure and heart disease, AFib may also develop in people with obesity, sleep apnea, uncontrolled diabetes, or a family history of AFib.
    — MD Published, Verywell Health, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Their goal should be to pursue transformative opportunities without turning the company into an uncontrolled AI experiment.
    — Jaime Meritt, Forbes.com, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of uncontrolled
Noun
  • Moody and Donalds’ victory margins statewide are far lower than the blowout performances delivered by Republicans in Florida in 2022 and 2024.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Stone was dressed as an aesthetically conscious conservative housewife with a crisp button-down shirt, A-line skirt, peroxide blowout and fake facelift sutures.
    — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of blowout

Browse Nearby Words

runaround
run away
runaway
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Cite this Entry

“Run away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/run%20away. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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