1
as in finding
to come upon after searching, study, or effort
finally ran down the answer after hours of research
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dismissing
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
constantly running down the city's cultural life won't do anything to improve it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of running down
Several reservoirs, including Loch Lomond, the main water supply for the city of Santa Cruz, and Lake Cachuma, the largest reservoir in Santa Barbara County, were 100% full on Wednesday, with water running down their spillways.
—
Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
The Patriots bounced back immediately and showed some life after a streaker interrupted the game by running down the field and avoiding security guards.
—Doug Kyed, Hartford Courant, 9 Feb. 2026
Udogie came off in the second half at Old Trafford after pulling up while running down the left wing.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
At trial, jurors viewed footage of an unmasked man running down a stairwell just after Johnson’s death.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
The Lake Tahoe property, once marketed as one of the region’s most expensive listings, features multiple structures on five acres, direct lake access, and two glass funiculars running down the hillside to the water.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
People are just running down the street.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
With the shot clock running down, Franklin passed the ball from the near mid-pool to Franklin positioned in front of the Beckman goal.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
People just running down the street.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 23 Jan. 2026
Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
The Patriots bounced back immediately and showed some life after a streaker interrupted the game by running down the field and avoiding security guards.
—Doug Kyed, Hartford Courant, 9 Feb. 2026
Udogie came off in the second half at Old Trafford after pulling up while running down the left wing.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
At trial, jurors viewed footage of an unmasked man running down a stairwell just after Johnson’s death.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
The Lake Tahoe property, once marketed as one of the region’s most expensive listings, features multiple structures on five acres, direct lake access, and two glass funiculars running down the hillside to the water.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
People are just running down the street.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
With the shot clock running down, Franklin passed the ball from the near mid-pool to Franklin positioned in front of the Beckman goal.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
People just running down the street.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for running down
Verb
-
The grim news out of Tucson is that, thirteen days into the search for Nancy Guthrie, the odds of finding her alive have been dropping by the hour.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The impact is expected to hit the bottom of the employment pyramid hardest, with research finding big drops in hiring among 22- to 25-year-olds in tech and customer service, The Economist reported.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But dismissing or minimizing disappointment can unintentionally teach children to ignore or suppress emotions.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Ignoring or outright dismissing Black parents who seek options is not progress — or progressive.—
Darius Jones,
New York Daily News,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Many viewers felt the show crossed a line by having Cycle 4 contestant Kahlen Rondot pose in a grave just hours after learning her childhood friend had died in a car accident.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
17 Feb. 2026
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The study showed activities like reading, writing, and learning a language were linked to slower cognitive decline and better brain health.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Parchment paper is an essential kitchen tool, helping cooks and bakers prepare flawless dishes while minimizing cleanup.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
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The innovative idea also focuses on reducing operational costs, minimizing the requirement for buying expensive land to build data centers.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the simplest case, an unexpected reward (say, discovering some tasty fruit when hungry, or having someone attractive declare their love for you) causes a burst of dopamine release into a part of the basal ganglia known as the striatum—specifically, the nucleus accumbens.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
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While the popularity of these app-blocking devices increases (Novelli said the company has sold more than 60,000), questions remain about their efficacy when the people who buy them are mainly discovering the devices through the internet—and talking about them on social media.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Forever captures the rush and confusion of first love without talking down to its audience.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
14 Dec. 2025
-
Never met someone successful ever talking down to someone online.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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All there is to do, sometimes, is know in your heart of hearts that a nuanced piece of literature and a provocative and deviant piece of pop culture can exist alongside each other without one diminishing the other.—
Pamela Avila,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
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The airport’s current name is widely recognized and respected, and altering it would only create confusion while diminishing the local identity.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Sadly, the chances of locating Nancy alive are decreasing.—
Richard Johnson,
New York Daily News,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Steven Housman Thornton Police Housman's name is spelled differently in several court documents and police statements, but police thanked the community for their help in identifying and locating Housman at the time of his arrest.—
Austen Erblat,
CBS News,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Running down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/running%20down. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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