Synonyms of run into

run into

phrase

1

as in find

to come upon unexpectedly or by chance

They ran into a new set of problems as soon as they thought everything was fixed.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• find
• encounter
• hit (upon)
• come across
• meet
• pitch (upon)
• happen (on or upon)
• bump into
• chance (upon)
• run against
• run across
• light (on or upon)
• run upon
• tumble (upon)
• stumble (on or onto)
• face
• luck (out, on, onto, or into)
• discover
• confront
• turn up
• strike

2

as in encounter

to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face

The woman ran into her boss at the grocery store.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• encounter
• meet
• bump into
• run across
• happen (upon)
• chance (upon)
• confront
• catch
• run upon
• stumble (upon)
• cross paths (with)
• greet
• crash (into)
• collide (with)
• face
• hit (upon)
• light (upon)
• salute
• cross
• tumble (to)
• pass
• accost
• crisscross
• remeet
• reencounter

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• avoid
• escape
• shake
• duck
• evade
• dodge
• shun
• elude

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of run into

Simpson did bobble another handoff to running back Jordan Waters near the red zone, which contributed to Waters running into the backs of some of his linemen. — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026

Why Chess Can’t Do What This Hobby Does Cognitive training research keeps running into a snag psychologists call the far transfer problem. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026

Later in the 2010s, the Morgans began running into problems with state officials. — Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026

Phillips 66 has a chemicals joint venture with Chevron that each side has a right of first refusal to acquire wholly; previous efforts to sell the business from both Chevron and Phillips’ end have run into hurdles, other people said. — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 14 Aug. 2026