Synonyms of running

running 1 of 4

adjective

1

as in operating

being in effective operation

the car has been running for almost an entire day

Synonyms & Similar Words

• operating
• operational
• operative
• functioning
• going
• working
• on
• active
• in force
• live
• alive
• functional
• operable
• in commission
• living
• on line
• producing
• viable
• in gear
• effective
• performing
• serving
• humming
• effectual
• usable
• useful
• flourishing
• busy
• yielding
• employable
• productive
• workable
• thriving
• dynamic
• bustling
• roaring
• astir

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• broken
• dead
• inactive
• inoperative
• nonfunctioning
• nonoperative
• useless
• nonfunctional
• ineffective
• nonoperational
• nonactivated
• idle
• ineffectual
• nonoperating
• kaput
• arrested
• deactivated
• decommissioned
• unusable
• dormant
• fallow
• inoperable
• unworkable
• asleep
• inert
• quiescent
• unproductive
• latent
• sleepy
• lifeless
• nonproductive
• stagnating
• vegetating

2

as in continuous

going on and on without any interruptions

a running struggle just to make ends meet

Synonyms & Similar Words

• continuous
• continued
• continuing
• continual
• nonstop
• incessant
• uninterrupted
• constant
• unremitting
• perpetual
• unbroken
• unceasing
• persistent
• ceaseless
• steady
• permanent
• endless
• unending
• interminable
• lasting
• enduring
• eternal
• immortal
• everlasting
• stable
• undying
• deathless
• durable
• unchanging
• unvarying
• changeless
• indestructible
• imperishable
• dateless

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• periodic
• discontinuous
• intermittent
• recurrent
• alternate
• serial
• seasonal
• periodical
• cyclic
• occasional
• rhythmic
• recurring
• noncontinuous
• sporadic
• alternating
• erratic
• irregular
• spasmodic
• spotty
• unsteady
• fitful

running

2 of 4

noun

ˈrə-niŋ 

as in management

the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something

left the running of the corporation to his subordinates

Synonyms & Similar Words

• management
• operation
• handling
• control
• administration
• supervision
• direction
• government
• stewardship
• oversight
• governance
• presidency
• conduct
• regulation
• leadership
• charge
• guidance
• care
• superintendence
• intendance
• superintendency
• custody
• keeping
• protection
• agency
• logistics
• lap
• engineering
• manipulation
• ward
• trust
• guardianship
• safekeeping
• rulership
• tutelage
• generalship
• aegis
• codirection
• machination
• coadministration
• comanagement

running

3 of 4

adverb

as in successively

in succession without others coming in between

he won the championship five times running

Synonyms & Similar Words

• successively
• together
• repeatedly
• consecutively
• continuously
• constantly
• hand running
• sequentially
• back-to-back
• continually
• serially
• on end
• successionally
• seriatim
• uninterruptedly
• night and day
• subsequently
• unceasingly
• continuingly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• intermittently
• discontinuously
• interruptedly

running

4 of 4

verb

present participle of run

1

as in jogging

to go at a pace faster than a walk

we ran all the way to the bus stop, but still missed the bus

Synonyms & Similar Words

• jogging
• trotting
• sprinting
• racing
• galloping
• speeding
• skipping
• rushing
• hurrying
• leaping
• tripping
• scampering
• dashing
• scurrying
• zipping
• scooting
• bounding
• hustling
• springing
• loping
• tearing
• blazing
• blasting
• scuttling
• hurling
• ripping
• buzzing
• bowling
• barreling
• blowing
• coursing
• hurtling
• cantering
• humping
• shagging
• bustling
• zooming
• careening
• rocketing
• ramming
• jetting
• whirling
• hastening
• bolting
• whisking
• pelting
• haring
• belting
• rustling
• shooting
• stepping (along)
• breezing
• bombing
• cannonballing
• hying
• pattering
• nipping
• footing (it)
• legging (it)
• hotfooting (it)
• hoofing (it)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• strolling
• shuffling
• dragging
• sauntering
• lingering
• crawling
• ambling
• creeping
• lagging
• poking
• shambling
• dawdling
• loitering
• trudging
• plodding
• tarrying
• dallying
• lumbering
• limping
• hobbling
• dillydallying

2

as in flying

to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening

rather than run from a black bear, it's better to hold your ground and make lots of noise

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flying
• fleeing
• retreating
• bolting
• escaping
• breaking
• running away
• running off
• skedaddling
• beating a retreat
• beating it
• bugging out
• turning tail
• making tracks
• hightailing (it)
• scramming
• getting (away)
• getting out
• absconding
• making off
• decamping
• skipping (out)
• eloping
• clearing out
• lighting out
• lamming
• scarpering
• skirring
• mizzling
• scatting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• facing
• confronting
• daring
• remaining
• braving
• defying
• staying
• lingering
• hanging around
• dwelling
• bearding
• abiding
• sticking around
• tarrying

3

as in leading

to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction

the road runs along the river for a while

Synonyms & Similar Words

• leading
• going
• extending
• lying
• heading
• crossing
• passing
• bearing
• cutting
• following
• spanning
• traversing
• coursing

4

as in ranging

to occur within a continuous range of variation

the electric bill runs between 30 and 50 dollars a month

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ranging
• varying
• going
• moving
• alternating
• shifting
• changing
• reaching
• fluctuating
• extending
• stretching
• sweeping
• mutating

5

as in flowing

to move in a stream

water running down the window

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flowing
• pouring
• streaming
• dripping
• rolling
• rushing
• racing
• issuing
• flooding
• emanating
• springing
• rippling
• arising
• coursing
• flushing
• trickling
• spurting
• gushing
• spouting
• inundating
• effusing
• swamping
• overrunning
• engulfing
• overflowing
• dribbling
• disemboguing
• deluging
• cascading
• riffling
• fountaining
• guttering
• sheeting
• washing out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• backing up
• setting
• hardening
• clotting
• coagulating
• gelling
• congealing

6

as in racing

to proceed or move quickly

run and get the nurse

Synonyms & Similar Words

• racing
• traveling
• speeding
• trotting
• rushing
• hurrying
• scurrying
• driving
• flying
• jumping
• chasing
• zipping
• buzzing
• scooting
• stepping
• darting
• blowing
• scuttling
• jogging
• tearing
• blasting
• ripping
• dashing
• blazing
• bowling
• zooming
• hustling
• ramming
• barreling
• whirling
• hurling
• bolting
• haring
• shooting
• careering
• humping
• hurtling
• bundling
• coursing
• breezing
• motoring
• galloping
• bustling
• careening
• rocketing
• rustling
• jetting
• whisking
• hastening
• cracking (on)
• pelting
• nipping
• belting
• beating it
• cannonballing
• sprinting
• highballing
• hying
• bombing
• flitting
• scampering
• getting a move on
• stepping on it
• making tracks
• shaking a leg
• streaking
• scudding
• accelerating
• whizzing
• hotfooting (it)
• scuffling
• stampeding
• outrunning
• overtaking
• beetling
• outpacing
• stepping out
• quickening
• outstripping
• catching up
• beelining
• arrowing
• fast-forwarding

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• crawling
• creeping
• poking
• dragging
• lingering
• hanging (around or out)
• lagging
• poking
• strolling
• shuffling
• dawdling
• loitering
• sauntering
• ambling
• plodding
• dallying
• lumbering
• decelerating
• slowing (down or up)
• tarrying
• dillydallying

7

as in tending

to show a liking or proneness (for something)

unfortunately, members of his family run to fatness

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tending
• leaning
• inclining
• trending
• going
• pointing
• indicating
• suggesting
• gravitating

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• avoiding
• shunning
• shying (from or away from)

8

as in driving

to urge, push, or force onward

they ran the horses hard in order to get to the ranch quickly

Synonyms & Similar Words

• driving
• punching
• herding
• shepherding
• whipping
• wrangling
• spurring
• exhorting
• hounding
• prompting
• pressing
• prodding
• goading
• flogging
• pricking
• egging
• scourging

9

as in using

to control the mechanical operation of

I know how to run that machine

Synonyms & Similar Words

• operating
• using
• handling
• working
• manipulating
• driving
• controlling
• wielding
• guiding
• plying
• maneuvering
• steering
• directing
• piloting
• commanding

10

as in becoming

to eventually have as a state or quality

the poor woman ran herself ragged trying to care for all those children

Synonyms & Similar Words

• becoming
• getting
• growing
• going
• coming
• turning
• changing
• waxing
• transforming
• modifying
• altering
• mutating
• metamorphosing
• transmuting
• transfiguring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• being
• remaining
• continuing
• staying
• lingering
• abiding

11

as in melting

to go from a solid to a liquid state

her makeup started to run when she got in the pool

Synonyms & Similar Words

• melting
• thawing
• liquefying
• fusing
• softening
• trying
• fluxing
• smelting
• dissolving
• deliquescing
• founding
• rendering
• thinning
• guttering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• setting
• solidifying
• hardening
• thickening
• coagulating
• clotting
• gelling
• congealing
• jellying
• jelling

12

as in managing

to look after and make decisions about

learning to run the family business

Synonyms & Similar Words

• operating
• managing
• supervising
• overseeing
• controlling
• regulating
• conducting
• handling
• governing
• administering
• keeping
• guiding
• protecting
• directing
• tending
• presiding (over)
• administrating
• carrying on
• watching over
• superintending
• stewarding
• leading
• watching
• steering
• overlooking
• safeguarding
• guarding
• piloting
• caring (for)
• minding
• micromanaging
• codirecting
• stage-managing
• comanaging

13

as in activating

to cause to function

in olden days mills were run by flowing water

Synonyms & Similar Words

• activating
• triggering
• sparking
• driving
• powering
• generating
• moving
• fueling
• starting
• pushing
• setting off
• igniting
• touching off
• turning on
• actuating
• provoking
• cranking (up)
• launching
• charging
• firing
• electrifying
• switching
• energizing
• stimulating
• tripping
• turning over
• releasing
• reactivating
• accelerating
• recharging
• kicking over
• discharging
• stirring up
• exciting
• inciting
• instigating
• jump-starting
• kick-starting
• stepping up
• arousing
• catalyzing
• vitalizing
• quickening
• speeding (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• cutting
• killing
• checking
• stopping
• sticking
• cutting out
• shutting off
• turning off
• cutting off
• halting
• stalling
• braking
• arresting
• jamming
• drawing up
• slowing
• deactivating
• suppressing
• repressing
• decelerating
• stunting

14

as in costing

to have a price of

that sort of computer runs at least several hundred dollars

Synonyms & Similar Words

• costing
• fetching
• bringing
• going (for)
• selling (for)
• coming (to)
• amounting (to)
• listing (for)
• totaling
• asking
• demanding
• commanding
• exacting

15

as in traveling

to come or be together as friends

he's been running with a bad crowd lately

Synonyms & Similar Words

• traveling
• connecting
• collaborating
• mixing
• associating
• mingling
• bonding
• joining
• relating
• befriending
• rubbing shoulders (with)
• chumming
• cooperating
• rubbing elbows (with)
• consorting
• sorting
• hanging (around or out)
• hobnobbing
• taking up with
• fraternizing
• keeping company (with)
• hooking up
• being friends with
• consociating
• tying
• palling (around)
• messing around
• teaming
• linking
• falling in with
• rallying
• companying
• affiliating
• socializing
• coupling
• allying
• grouping
• clubbing
• attaching
• colluding
• getting along
• knotting
• interrelating
• ganging
• siding
• getting on
• confederating
• friending
• leaguing
• wedding
• banding
• conjoining

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• avoiding
• shunning
• snubbing
• alienating
• dispersing
• splitting
• splitting (up)
• estranging
• breaking up
• disbanding
• cold-shouldering
• dissociating
• divorcing
• severing
• sundering
• disjoining
• disuniting

16

as in chasing

to go after or on the track of

if that dog continues to run cars, he's going to get seriously hurt

Synonyms & Similar Words

• chasing
• tracking
• pursuing
• escorting
• trailing
• tracing
• following
• tailing
• accompanying
• running after
• dogging
• hounding
• coursing
• tagging
• shadowing
• bird-dogging
• watching
• hunting
• seeking
• chaperoning
• eyeing
• searching (for)
• observing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• leading
• guiding
• heading
• piloting

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of running

Adjective

On a night when the running game was mostly working, passing was stunningly ineffective. — Andy Behrens, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026

With Breece Hall sidelined by a quad injury and the running game sputtering, Gang Green has an opportunity to lean more heavily on the quarterback, the team’s most consistent offensive weapon. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026

Noun

Sal Frelick robbed Freddie Freeman of a double with a nice running catch in the right center field gap, but an error on a pickoff attempt at first base brought Edman in to score. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026

While club competitions revenue mostly goes back to the teams as prize money, UEFA needs lucrative national-team events to fund its own running costs, support 55 member federations and keep a reserves fund around 500 million euros ($560 million). — ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026

Verb

As part of a long-running arrangement, CNN, CBS News, ABC News, NBC News and Fox News rotate pool duty providing technical, video and reporting coverage of the president, with feeds then distributed to other networks and news organizations. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2026

Palos Verdes players thought the ball was dead after stoppage for an Inglewood injury, but the officials started running the clock when play resumed, and Palos Verdes finally called a timeout. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026

Phrases Containing running

• hand running
• running mate