1
as in to escape
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
ran away from an unhappy marriage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to retreat
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
the child runs away from large dogs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in rampant
showing no signs of being under control
a region plagued by runaway suburban sprawl
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sweep
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
The Athletic Nhl Staff, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Romero ran away barefoot and pantless in the 4600 block of Mark IV Parkway, officials said.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026
Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
The publication of The Kid Stays in the Picture was a runaway smash, making Evans the king of cool once again.
—Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 9 Feb. 2026
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
Jo, being a writer as well as a runaway from the strictures of womanhood, is a bit of an avatar for Alcott.
—Bonnie Tsui, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for run away
Verb
Big shock that Houston ran away with this one.
—The Athletic Nhl Staff, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Romero ran away barefoot and pantless in the 4600 block of Mark IV Parkway, officials said.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Andrew Mullen and Jake Vigeant each scored their second goal in a runaway third period for Dracut/Tyngsboro, sealing a 7-1 rout of Grafton that saw five different players score.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
The publication of The Kid Stays in the Picture was a runaway smash, making Evans the king of cool once again.
—Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
When a breakdown at a gas station ends with Whitney vanishing, police dismiss it as a runaway, but Megan knows better.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
Jo, being a writer as well as a runaway from the strictures of womanhood, is a bit of an avatar for Alcott.
—Bonnie Tsui, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for run away
Recent Examples of Synonyms for run away
Verb
-
When approached, such a goose might have made a feeble attempt to escape.—
Bryan Hendricks,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Dylan Volantis escaped a jam with two consecutive strikeouts to conclude a stellar outing.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Illinois lawmakers recently flirted with a tax on unrealized gains—think of stocks yet to be sold at fluctuating prices that only exist on paper—before retreating.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Jackson was disinvited from the Grammy Awards telecast the following week and largely retreated from the public spotlight, while Timberlake’s career continued uninterrupted.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Croatia dropped the kuna in 2023, and the change was met with widespread stories about rampant inflation — perhaps explaining other countries’ reluctance — although the European Central Bank said that price rises continued on existing trends.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
5 Feb. 2026
-
During Operation Midway Blitz last fall, unprovoked violence by CBP and ICE was rampant — and often captured on video.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The incident was determined to be unfounded after a comprehensive sweep of the campuses.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
4 Feb. 2026
-
By ending encampment sweeps, Mamdani effectively surrendered public spaces to squalor and disorder.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Aljorna, the affidavit claimed, hit a light pole before fleeing from the car, with an ICE agent chasing him on foot toward the home.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Several tankers fled the Venezuelan coast in the wake of the raid, including the ship that was boarded in the Indian Ocean overnight.—
Ben Finley,
Fortune,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Carney ordered government buildings to fly flags at half-mast for the next week.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Two airline sources said that airlines were given the impression that the closure was done out of an abundance of caution due to the FAA's inability to predict where drones might be flying.—
Brian Dakss,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Inflammation is a natural defense mechanism—but chronic uncontrolled inflammation can be harmful and worsen disease, Klein explains.—
Lauren J. Young,
Scientific American,
9 Feb. 2026
-
But the upper stage failed to perform its deorbit burn as planned and ended up crashing back to Earth in an uncontrolled fashion.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The results were solid, with three exciting mini-games in the round-robin tournament all going down to the buzzer before the blowout finale.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Leonard led the Clippers (25-28) with 24 points after scoring 41 in a blowout win in December in the last meeting between the teams.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Run away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/run%20away. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
