1
as in to out
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 to escape
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 to retreat
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
the mouse ran off as soon as it saw us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fresh
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of runoff
Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 6 July 2025
Schiavon pointed to research showing that runoff from synthetic turfgrass carries contaminants like zinc.
—Riya Sharma, Sun Sentinel, 2 July 2025
Beki San Martin, Freep.com, 4 July 2025
Videos show people ducking to get away from the bugs, or just running off in some cases.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for runoff
Verb
Street courses are tighter and less forgiving than natural road courses, which have plenty of runoff areas unrestrained by real-life city avenues and obstacles like sidewalks and bus stops.
—Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 6 July 2025
Schiavon pointed to research showing that runoff from synthetic turfgrass carries contaminants like zinc.
—Riya Sharma, Sun Sentinel, 2 July 2025
Noun
If running off isn’t as significant of an issue for your kid, Mohiuddin said, considering putting an Airtag with them is an easy option to maintain safety in crowds in a pinch.
—Beki San Martin, Freep.com, 4 July 2025
Videos show people ducking to get away from the bugs, or just running off in some cases.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for runoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for runoff
Verb
-
In March, 2008, the Post published a front-page story on Eliot Spitzer, then the governor of New York, who—after cracking down on prostitution rings while serving as the state’s attorney general, from 1999 to 2006—was outed as having patronized an escort service.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
-
Having identifying documents with gender markers that don’t appear to match how a person is presenting themself could foster an uncomfortable, sometimes dangerous, situation for people who are forced to out themselves as trans to strangers.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
6 July 2025
Verb
-
Jeremiah Estrada promptly struck out Eugenio Suarez to escape that jam, and Adrián Morejón left the bases loaded the next inning with a strikeout of Marte.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 July 2025
-
For more than two decades, a special team of Mexican police officers has quietly worked along the northern border to track down and deport foreign fugitives who cross into Mexico to escape criminal charges in their home countries.—
Time,
Time,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
And in this story, Superman retreats from the world after being rejected by the public for adhering to an older moral code.—
Ari Daniel,
Smithsonian Magazine,
10 July 2025
-
The nonsectarian center hosts retreats that range from 3 to 13 nights, for a wide variety of experience levels, with a central focus on Theravadin teachings and bodhicitta (striving to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings).—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
Tart and fresh, with a splash of red-berry fruits—not market basket fresh, but more like freshly picked off the bush—and a little bramble.—
Lana Bortolot,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
-
In the meantime, keep those feeders sparkling clean and the nectar fresh.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Cunningham, Sheldon and Sun guard Lindsay Allen were ejected from the game with about 40 seconds left before the Fever took home the victory.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
13 July 2025
-
The screw-on lids can forcefully eject upon opening if food, carbonated beverages or perishable drinks like juice or milk have been stored in the bottle over time.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
12 July 2025
Verb
-
In July 1987, flooding on the Guadalupe River in Kerr County forced hundreds of people to flee the area.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
12 July 2025
-
The law, which opponents say was built around misinformation about gender-affirming care, prompted some transgender residents to flee the state and medical professionals to stop providing care.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
Where will flags be at half-staff in Wisconsin? Per Evers' executive order, American flag and the Wisconsin state flag fly half-staff at all buildings, grounds and military installations belonging to the state of Wisconsin.—
Cailey Gleeson,
jsonline.com,
19 July 2025
-
The group was exchanged for more than 250 Venezuelans deported from the U.S. and flown in March to El Salvador's high-security prison.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025
Noun
-
Two and a half feet of rain beat down upon the face of the San Gabriels, wiping out the rustic resorts wedged into the canyons, and chuting runoff waters down onto the plain along ancient dry rivulets and freshets and canyons that Angelenos had forgotten or never known about.—
Patt MorrisonColumnist,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2023
-
The Hudson River had a little current, fed by freshets from upstream with local rains, and melting snow farther up, in the Adirondacks.—
Ian Frazier,
The New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Runoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/runoff. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
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