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
Stefanía Arteaga, the co-executive director of Carolina Migrant Network, said she’s heard from people who hid in the forest and ran away in fear during the arrests. — Diamy Wang, Charlotte Observer, 4 Aug. 2026 Relatives of a man fatally shot by Kansas City police last year have alleged in a wrongful death lawsuit that video from the officers’ body cameras and patrol vehicles shows the victim running away when he was shot. — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 4 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Chris Fleming looks wistfully on the wave of YouTube content creators courted by Hollywood after Backrooms director Kane Parsons and Obsession’s Curry Barker notched runaway horror pic hits at the multiplex. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026 Regime Change, the recent runaway bestseller by Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, has vexed the president further. — David Folkenflik, NPR, 23 July 2026
Noun
In a garbage bag, authorities discovered the runaway’s arms and legs. — Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 24 July 2026 The tighter and more jumbled the field, the less likely that a star capable of a runaway will actually produce that outcome. — Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 17 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
  • For those looking to escape the hordes, the Park Lane, set north of central Copenhagen, offers a pocket of peace.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • To escape the CapEx trap, health systems must demand AI architectures that are native to the cloud, inherently interoperable and designed for execution, not just conversation.
    — Sridhar Yerramreddy, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of escape
Verb
  • Exxon shares retreated about 2% in premarket trading on Friday as it’s adjusted per-share profit narrowly missed forecasts.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • Our responsibility as university leaders is not to dismiss or retreat from them, but to confront them honestly.
    — Daniel Diermeier, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of retreat
Adjective
  • For many young women, the long-standing American tradition of earning badges through community outreach activities and, yes, rampant cookie selling is the first step in a life devoted to public service.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The threats came amid rampant speculation and scrutiny of the investigation, deepened in part by uncertainty surrounding Wells’ final hours, distrust of law enforcement and the state’s long history of racist violence.
    — Josh Kelety, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of rampant
Noun
  • Elly De La Cruz hit his fourth career leadoff home run — one of four homers by Cincinnati — and the Reds beat the Athletics 6-5 on Thursday afternoon to complete a three-game sweep.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Places to Stay The Best Hotels in Montenegro Nestled between Croatia and Albania on a glorious sweep of coastline, these Montenegro hotels are worth planning a trip around.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of sweep
Verb
  • As the flames approached the community in July, the majority of the village’s 3,500 residents were forced to flee their homes, as hundreds of firefighters were deployed to tackle blazes more violent and unpredictable than in previous years.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Rhaenyra and Rhaena flee on Syrax as Rhaena watches in horror as the other dragons bite and claw at her own.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of flee
Verb
  • Gable suplexed Penta into the corner and went for a flying headbutt, but Penta caught him in an armbar, busting Gable’s shoulder.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • That story mimics the god Hermes, who flies over water in The Odyssey.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of fly
Adjective
  • Their venom disrupts blood clotting and can cause uncontrolled bleeding, shock, kidney damage, and organ failure.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026
  • While adding a tiny amount of salt to your coffee is generally safe, people on a low-salt diet or those with uncontrolled high blood pressure should consult a healthcare provider to see if this is a wise choice for them.
    — Megan Nunn, Verywell Health, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of uncontrolled
Noun
  • The same conundrum saw investors punish Alphabet and Tesla, but reward Microsoft and Amazon for accelerating revenue growth and posting blowout backlog numbers this quarter.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Despite the blowout loss, the White Sox (59-53) remained three games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians (57-57) in the American League Central.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 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 9 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on run away

Nglish: Translation of run away for Spanish Speakers

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