run 1 of 5

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2
3
as in to lead
to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction the road runs along the river for a while

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4
as in to vary
to occur within a continuous range of variation the electric bill runs between 30 and 50 dollars a month

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5
6
7
as in to tend
to show a liking or proneness (for something) unfortunately, members of his family run to fatness

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8
as in to drive
to urge, push, or force onward they ran the horses hard in order to get to the ranch quickly

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9
as in to operate
to control the mechanical operation of I know how to run that machine

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10
as in to become
to eventually have as a state or quality the poor woman ran herself ragged trying to care for all those children

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11
as in to melt
to go from a solid to a liquid state her makeup started to run when she got in the pool

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as in to cost
to have a price of that sort of computer runs at least several hundred dollars

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15
16

run

2 of 5

noun

1
as in tendency
a prevailing or general movement or inclination the company's stock has remained consistent with the overall run of the market

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2
3
as in duration
the period during which something exists, lasts, or is in progress the actor has been assigned the part for the run of the show

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4
5
as in trots
runs plural abnormally frequent intestinal evacuations with more or less fluid stools with weekend guests in the house, it was no time to get the runs

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run (over)

3 of 5

verb (2)

run over

4 of 5

verb (3)

as in to practice
to do over and over so as to become skilled let's run over this dance number one more time

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ran

5 of 5

verb (4)

variants also chiefly dialectal run
past tense of run
1
2
3
as in went
to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction the road runs along the river for a while

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4
as in ranged
to occur within a continuous range of variation the electric bill runs between 30 and 50 dollars a month

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5
6
7
as in tended
to show a liking or proneness (for something) unfortunately, members of his family run to fatness

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

8
as in drove
to urge, push, or force onward they ran the horses hard in order to get to the ranch quickly

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9
10
as in turned
to eventually have as a state or quality the poor woman ran herself ragged trying to care for all those children

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

11
12
13
14
as in cost
to have a price of that sort of computer runs at least several hundred dollars

Synonyms & Similar Words

15
16

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
Verb
Black flies can travel for miles and can be found anywhere there are running streams or rivers nearby, even in urban areas. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 15 July 2025 The chef retired a few years ago, but his son Hiroyuki Sakamoto is running the kitchen now. Amber Gibson, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2025
Noun
Factor in a four-hour charging time via a conventional 110-volt outlet, and users would be hard-pressed to need much more in a week’s worth of commuting, grocery and errand runs, and so on. Peter Nelson, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025 As Cubs manager Craig Counsell pointed out, this was the same team that needed 10 innings on Thursday night to score one run and secure a 1-0 walk-off victory over the Cleveland Guardians. Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 5 July 2025
Verb
In Game 161, Gary Knotts and Matt Roney gave up eight runs over the first five innings, digging an 8-0 hole. Ryan Ford, Freep.com, 10 July 2025 After holding the Orioles to only one run over the first five innings, Holmes gave up four in the sixth without getting an out. Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 9 July 2025
Verb
The Black Knights run the highest percentage of run concepts using outside zone and man. Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024 Founder Margiela retired in 2009, and the label was run by an anonymous team (one that for a time included Bottega Veneta creative director Matthieu Blazy) until Galliano’s appointment. Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 11 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for run
Recent Examples of Synonyms for run
Noun
  • The bill ultimately continues a generations-long Republican tendency to transfer wealth upward while abandoning working Americans. Davis: The wealth transfer Trump seeks is from government to taxpayers.
    Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025
  • Traits shape your willingness to try new things, your perception of effort, and your comfort level in different environments—making exercise a natural outlet for expressing these tendencies, said Matthew Sacco, PhD, a sports medicine psychologist at Cleveland Clinic.
    Brian Mastroianni, Health, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • Nearly 20 homes were cut off in the town of Sutton as a local brook quickly rose from its banks and surrounded buildings, Fire Chief Kyle Seymour said.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 12 July 2025
  • But in case the running brooks aren’t meeting your educational needs this summer, here are some suggestions for actual books to tuck into your backpack.
    Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • The sensory component refers to the physical sensation of pain, encompassing its intensity, location, quality, and duration, whereas the affective aspect encompasses the emotional side of pain, including the unpleasantness associated with it, such as suffering and the desire to alleviate it.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 11 July 2025
  • The connected app logs and monitors usage, including the number of times used and the average duration (again, a great tool to monitor your cats' health).
    Molly Higgins, Wired News, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Medicare Advantage plan members can face prior authorization for many services, whereas Original Medicare has considerably fewer situations requiring approval.
    Diane Omdahl, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • In January, the US Food and Drug Administration gave marketing authorization to certain nicotine pouches for the first time, allowing sales of 10 flavors of popular brand Zyn to help adult smokers quit or cut back on their tobacco use.
    Jeffrey Kopp, CNN Money, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • They’re then added into the mascarpone mixture one spoonful at a time, while stirring gently in the same direction to achieve a consistent light and airy texture.
    Bryce Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 July 2025
  • Always follow package directions when applying fertilizer to your garden to avoid over-fertilizing.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
Noun
  • While traversing steep mountain trails and navigating undulating bent grass greens at Cliffhangers, golfers will drive carts through cascading waterfalls, cross swift flowing creeks, and wind through a cave system.
    Erik Matuszewski, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
  • It is situated along a creek just off California State Route 2 in Angeles National Forest.
    Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • At the time of the incident, Trump was in Washington, D.C., when Shaw allegedly drove what was described by law enforcement as a Mercedes van to the south gate of Mar-a-Lago shortly before 10 p.m. and parked along Southern Boulevard.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025
  • The move also paves the way for rookie Marcelo Mayer to remain in the majors and assume the bulk of the playing time at second base.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Participating in the type of cover-up his supporters decry The backlash over the Trump administration's memo and the president's defense of Bondi has been swift and intense from supporters who have given him wide latitude in the past.
    Stephen Fowler, NPR, 14 July 2025
  • The times and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Run.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/run. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

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