rundown 1 of 3

noun

ˈrən-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce rundown (audio)
Definition of rundownnext
as in summary
a short statement of the main points a rundown of the suspect's lengthy police record

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run-down

2 of 3

adjective

ˈrən-ˈdau̇n How to pronounce run-down (audio)
1
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect a run-down old house that really should be torn down

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2
as in sick
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body I'm afraid I'll be staying home today as I'm feeling run-down

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run down

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to find
to come upon after searching, study, or effort finally ran down the answer after hours of research

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2
as in to dismiss
to express scornfully one's low opinion of constantly running down the city's cultural life won't do anything to improve it

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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 rundown
Noun
Here’s a rundown of the biggest developments heading into the final stretch of the regular season. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2026 Here’s a quick rundown of the latest updates affecting local diners. — Chadd Cripe. Produced With Ai Assistance, Idaho Statesman, 25 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Protesters say years of underinvestment have left French schools overcrowded, run-down, under-resourced and under-staffed. — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026 Hundreds of schools have shut their doors in recent days, with students airing grievances over run-down buildings, overcrowded classrooms, understaffing and inequalities in the education system. — Ellen Francis, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
Mario Alberto Morales is accused of running down an immigrant with his car, causing serious injuries. — Silvia Foster-Frau, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2026 The Valkyries decided to allow the clock to run down and the Dream could exhale. — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rundown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rundown
  1. summary
  2. dilapidated
  3. sick
  4. find
  5. dismiss
  6. neglected
  7. poorly
  8. learn
Noun
  • Later, she was charged with a DUI and ordered to 12 months of summary probation, including a three-month DUI class and must attend weekly meetings with her psychologist and twice-monthly visits with her psychiatrist.
    — Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 2 Nov. 2026
  • An upcoming Siri Recap feature will be able to create summaries of conversations for later reference.
    — Sheena Vasani, The Verge, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of summary
Adjective
  • All of that came to a head aboard the dilapidated Honour 25, where a monthslong standoff came to a violent end last month.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Foreign buyers and investment funds have pushed up prices by buying Portuguese properties, including dilapidated buildings.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of dilapidated
Adjective
  • Ahead of Wednesday night’s game against the Buffalo Sabres, Ridly Greig was nursing his own lower-body injury, and Tyler Kleven was too sick to play.
    — Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The state’s health department cautions that the true number is most certainly higher because not everyone who gets sick seeks medical care.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of sick
Verb
  • From his emergence in the mid-1950s until his passing in 2018, Taylor not only disassembled jazz and reconstructed it in his own style, but also found ways to make the world listen.
    — Levi Dayan, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Police previously said investigators found no evidence of an actual plan to carry out violence at the school.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of find
Verb
  • State officials dismissed the allegation as speculation but explicitly warned the Authority not to pay higher rates for work assigned to those $35-an-hour positions.
    — Julie Watts, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Insurance agent Ken McFeeters filed a lawsuit challenging the senator’s eligibility based on residency requirements, but the lawsuit was dismissed.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of dismiss
Adjective
  • Investors and analysts are increasingly looking to other parts of the market, both to find neglected sources of value and to start assuming a defensive posture against a possible downturn.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 16 July 2026
  • Changing their environment is more reliable and more neglected.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Definition of neglected
Adjective
  • For however poorly things are going — and the bad tone set by the starters has leaked into some defensive lapses and some pressing at the plate — the Padres got themselves into a really favorable position before this.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025
  • This involves having a poorly or non-functioning colon and is not usually reversible.
    — Dr. John De Jong, Boston Herald, 17 Aug. 2025
Definition of poorly
Verb
  • In it, a young kid traverses New Orleans to fish, goes door to door selling his game, and learns how to drive, among other things.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Regardless, there’s a fascinating swing from FOMO (fear of missing out) to JOMO (joy of missing out), and today’s women are learning that alone time is important for personal growth.
    — Cheryl Fenton, Flow Space, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of learn

Browse Nearby Words

rundlets
rundown
run-down
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Cite this Entry

“Rundown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rundown. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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