1
as in smuggler
a person who imports or exports goods secretly and illegally
a drug runner
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in messenger
one that carries a message or does an errand
sent a runner to tell them that all was ready for the feast
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of runner
Daily life has been upended at schools, hospitals, stores and restaurants and in neighborhoods where sidewalks were once well-trodden with runners, people walking their dogs, families taking daily strolls and children heading back home after getting dropped off by the bus.
—
Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Frey is forty-four, with a compact, runner’s body.
—Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2026
Chivas succumbed to Brazil’s Internacional in 2010 and Tigres finished runner up to Marcelo Gallardo’s 2015 River Plate.
—Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, and Dana Walden, co-chair of Disney Entertainment, are believed to be front runners with speculation growing about a possible co-CEO situation that has been working well at other companies like Netflix.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for runner
Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Frey is forty-four, with a compact, runner’s body.
—Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2026
Chivas succumbed to Brazil’s Internacional in 2010 and Tigres finished runner up to Marcelo Gallardo’s 2015 River Plate.
—Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, and Dana Walden, co-chair of Disney Entertainment, are believed to be front runners with speculation growing about a possible co-CEO situation that has been working well at other companies like Netflix.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for runner
Recent Examples of Synonyms for runner
Noun
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When they were caught in Mexico, his smuggler abandoned him.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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And Galaxy’s Edge forever lacked some of its teased and hyped elements — there were no smugglers, for instance, tapping you on the shoulder in the cantina.—
Todd Martens,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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This essential mineral helps produce neurotransmitters, which are chemical messengers in your brain and nervous system.—
Zia Sherrell,
Health,
5 Feb. 2026
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Dehydration also interferes with how your brain uses dopamine and serotonin—the chemical messengers that help regulate mood, focus, and motivation.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Investigators say the couriers then took the gold bars to the two stores, where they were allegedly melted down into bracelets and other jewelry that could be sold.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 Jan. 2026
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Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.—
USA Today staff,
USA Today,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Runner.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/runner. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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