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running down

verb

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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 running down And this ratio has been declining since 2006, as evidenced by the major trend line running down the chart. — Todd Gordon, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026 Photos of Bellin's injuries taken after the incident showed Bellin with blood running down her face and left arm and hand. — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 Sanchez added her record-breaker in the 78th, running down a long ball sent forward by Courage goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan and out-running three Angel City defenders before burying her shot. — Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 Well, Bournemouth, the three points were yours in Manchester on Sunday, with the clock running down. — Stuart James, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 For decades, El Capitan has kicked off the high school football season with the Vaquero Run, with players running down Maine Avenue in Lakeside. — John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026 Fittingly, the style comes in three colorways including Zebra Soapstone, a tan take on the trendy animal print, and Gilded Umber, a rich, chocolate brown adorned with gold-tone grommets running down each outer seam. — Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 Two white stripes running down the sides of each leg create a casual look that’s effortlessly chic and pairs well with just about any shoes in your suitcase. — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2026 Not Bone, But Nerve That something is the ulnar nerve, one of the three major nerves running down the arm. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for running down
  1. finding
  2. dismissing
  3. learning
  4. minimizing
  5. discovering
  6. talking down
  7. locating
  8. diminishing
Verb
  • The international fact-finding mission on Iran says the findings center on a pair of airstrikes which killed at least 178 civilians, including women and children.
    — Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Painters and other creatives conduct extensive research into art history in old books, finding source imagery in their pages.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of finding
Verb
  • Without billions in funding and a stadium site, the rest is flowery prose, but there is no sense in dismissing any potential bidder a year or two before the bidding opens.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
  • While speaking with Entertainment Weekly in September 2026, Mirren praised working with Brosnan and Hardy, dismissing rumors of tension on set with the latter.
    — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of dismissing
Verb
  • Steen had learning problems and had begun using drugs at 12 or 13, and his difficulties worsened after the motorcycle accident.
    — Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026
  • There’s Kui Lei-making, where visitors hear the history of the lei while learning to sew one; traditional bamboo stamp printing; or coconut frond weaving, which Native Hawaiians have practiced for millennia.
    — Stephanie Vermillion, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of learning
Verb
  • The campaign also places particular emphasis on technologies capable of defeating drones while minimizing collateral damage.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
  • In context of supination, this means minimizing the possibility of injuries; doling out a smoother, plusher ride; and kicking underpronation’s common side effects (think plantar fasciitis, ankle pain, and shin splints) to the curb.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of minimizing
Verb
  • Mottola is known for discovering, developing and guiding some of the world’s most iconic artists while helping transform Sony Music Entertainment into a global powerhouse.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The alt-rock and folk musical is based on the 1891 German play by Frank Wedekind, which sees teenagers in the late 1800s discovering their sexuality.
    — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of discovering
Verb
  • Police chief Fuller is correct — talking down a place can be self-fulfilling.
    — Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Leadership training disputes The lawsuit alleges Petersen began subjecting Kennon to discriminatory treatment around January 2024, including talking down to her, ignoring her and questioning her judgment.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of talking down
Verb
  • Detectives arrested and located another suspect in the shooting, Antoine Jones, a little over a week after the shooting, but asked for help identifying and locating another gunman.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Deputies have identified a man found dead in a grass swale last month and are asking for the public’s help in locating the driver who hit him, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of locating
Verb
  • Meanwhile, the housing market is getting crushed by high mortgage rates and diminishing affordability, while consumers are carrying ever more expensive credit card and auto debt.
    — John W. Diamond, The Conversation, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The risk of eroding trust and diminishing stakeholder confidence by staying silent is too high.
    — Kristi Piehl, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of diminishing

Browse Nearby Words

running dogs
running down
running hand
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Cite this Entry

“Running down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/running%20down. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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