run 1 of 5

1
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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13
14
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
On the first half-court possession of the game, Boston ran a handoff with Sydney Colson on the wing, springing her for a clean jumper at the free-throw line. Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 29 May 2025 Bennet, who is now running for governor, and Tester largely ignored the protesters, who interjected throughout the event, as they were escorted out or asked by security not to disrupt. Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 29 May 2025
Noun
Foregoing his run for lieutenant governor, Bradford is redirecting his efforts to garner support for the lead role at the Department of Insurance in the November 2026 election. William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 30 May 2025 The Knights score an average of 8 1/2 runs per game, with six players hitting .315 or higher. Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025
Verb
The left-hander has made four relief appearances, allowing two runs over 5 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts. Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 23 May 2025 But then the bullpen yielded eight runs over the final three innings and the A’s lost, 10-5. Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 23 May 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
  • As the graph shows below, Bellingham, like most of Real Madrid midfielders, has a tendency to hold on to the ball, whereas Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen midfield is defined by quick and incisive short passes.
    Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 22 May 2025
  • Currently, some prescribing physicians are likely unaware if patients have disordered eating tendencies, either because the symptoms slip through the cracks, the patient actively conceals them, or the patient is too embarrassed to bring them up, Wassenaar explained.
    Elizabeth Yuko, Health, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • Adept anglers can fly-fish for them across the varied terrain of the property’s creeks or patrol the marshy perimeters its six Class A lakes for the coveted catch, as well as fellow trout—namely rainbow, brown, and brook–that often exceed 20 inches.
    Alexandra Kirkman, Robb Report, 29 May 2025
  • The quick video opened with footage of a rushing river and rolled to show a closeup of flowering branches, blue bells and an aerial view of a brook.
    Janine Henni, People.com, 1 May 2025
Noun
  • Parameters looked at include the type of listing being booked, the duration of the stay, the distance to the listing from the guest’s primary location and if the booking is last minute.
    Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Boston Herald, 24 May 2025
  • Congress later papered over the conflict by voting to give Lincoln the authority for the war’s duration.
    Molly Redden, ProPublica, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • But their work authorization is tied to their parole status, and reapplying for permission to work in the United States will take months.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 31 May 2025
  • This withdrawal came following the company’s public announcement to increase its share repurchase authorization to $750 million and commit to utilize $200 million of such authorization over the next three months and $500 million within the next 12 months.
    Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 31 May 2025
Noun
  • Most days, there are between three and five clues in each direction on a five by five grid, but the puzzles are sometimes larger, especially on Saturdays.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
  • Mahan has refused to back down, maintaining that making difficult decisions is necessary to steer San Jose in the right direction.
    Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 26 May 2025
Noun
  • He’s arrowed fish in freshwater, tidewater creeks, and in the saltwater near the massive Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
    Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 1 May 2025
  • The Spa The Spa is a collection of treatment tents set along a creek that lends a soundtrack to your massage, facial, or body wrap.
    Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Reubens found much of his early inspiration in drag During his time at the California Institute of the Arts, Reubens began exploring alternative forms of creativity.
    Lizzie Hyman, People.com, 24 May 2025
  • And yet those animals outside of that time of the year are extremely difficult to find.
    Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • As governor, Kehoe enjoys wide latitude to set the parameters of the special session.
    Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2025
  • In Miami, which is only about two degrees north of the Tropical latitudes, sunset on May 26 is at 8:05 p.m.
    Jesse Emspak, Space.com, 26 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Run.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/run. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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