runs 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of run
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2
3
as in leads
to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction the road runs along the river for a while

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4
as in varies
to occur within a continuous range of variation the electric bill runs between 30 and 50 dollars a month

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5
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7
as in tends
to show a liking or proneness (for something) unfortunately, members of his family run to fatness

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

8
as in drives
to urge, push, or force onward they ran the horses hard in order to get to the ranch quickly

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9
as in operates
to control the mechanical operation of I know how to run that machine

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10
as in becomes
to eventually have as a state or quality the poor woman ran herself ragged trying to care for all those children

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as in costs
to have a price of that sort of computer runs at least several hundred dollars

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runs

2 of 2

noun

plural of run
as in diarrhea
abnormally frequent intestinal evacuations with more or less fluid stools with weekend guests in the house, it was no time to get the runs

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 runs
Verb
The TikTok edits, the outfit identification threads, the contestant rivalries trending on X by the end of an episode, all of it turns 60 minutes of passive viewing into a multi-platform conversation that runs all week. Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026 Metro-North runs Yankee Clipper trains from Grand Central to Yankee Stadium for all weeknight and weekend games for about $5 to $8 each way. James McClellan, Curbed, 10 July 2026 On the left, the argument runs that air-conditioning would mainly benefit the rich and not those who need it most. Sabrina Weiss, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2026 The Biomat Health SoundBed runs roughly $2,450 to $3,980 and is marketed for easing pain, boosting circulation and reducing inflammation. Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 10 July 2026 Others, like Sydney Allison, who runs Wild Goose Farms in Florida, want workers for longer and more predictability in wage costs. Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 10 July 2026 Talarico runs strongest among younger Texans under 44, while Paxton’s support comes from voters 45 and older. Natassia Paloma, USA Today, 10 July 2026 Campers can also cool down in the river, which runs adjacent to the campground. Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026 The 60th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival runs July 3-11. Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 3 July 2026
Noun
Eovaldi impressed with a season-high 10 strikeouts and allowed only two runs, marking a big flip from the night before. Cal Phillips updated July 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026 In April, in a four-game series against the New York Yankees, Trout hit five home runs and drove in nine runs. Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026 Fans of Brazil, Colombia and Portugal also were crushed that their teams, expected to make deep runs, crashed out so early. Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026 Several candidates have already thrown their hat in the ring, while others have teased possible runs or had their names floated in recent days. Connor Greene, Time, 9 July 2026 Other season eight episodes amassed 515 million minutes; the remainder of the weekly total was for past seasons, including three pre-Peacock runs that stream on Disney+ and Paramount+. Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2026 Instead of making frantic runs for burger buns, charcoal and ice-cold drinks, Walmart+ members can have all their summer cookout essentials dropped right at their door, often the same day, with no delivery fee on eligible orders. Rachel Cortez, USA Today, 2 July 2026 In 345 plate appearances, William Contreras has hit nine long balls, tallied 51 RBIs and scored 47 runs. Data Skrive, New York Times, 2 July 2026 So far, Schmitt has hit 16 home runs, and has driven in 43 runs. Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for runs
Verb
  • Orchard Street, which jogs awkwardly around the one-time dump at Gowen Road, in particular needs to change, according to both Ada County Highway District and Boise city reports.
    Mark Dee July 8, Idaho Statesman, 8 July 2026
  • And then jogs all the way back.
    Christopher Kamrani, New York Times, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • Dunn, having none of it, stabs Dickie 20 times with a broken liquor bottle–with pants around his ankles, no less–while Alma flees out a window.
    EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026
  • With no idea what's going on, Dylan flees the FBC to find that the Hiss — otherworldly crimson monsters from another dimension — have overrun Manhattan.
    George Yang, Space.com, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • Their searching leads them to countless people, from journalists to police officials to a growing team of internet sleuths, who are compassionate and generous with their time.
    Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Also on hand was Formula 1 racer Kimi Antonelli, who leads the drivers' standings despite a disappointing result in Sunday's British Grand Prix.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 July 2026
Verb
  • The specific process varies by platform but may involve submitting additional photos, completing verification prompts, or using identity-confirmation tools.
    Matthew Kayser Updated July 6, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
  • Though that setup varies by region, local governments often do actually need people's help to protect their limited residential water supply.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Verb
  • That visibility shapes where capital flows, which problems get prioritized, and how quickly innovations find their way into practice.
    Jamil Wyne, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • Today's stock-market market conversation is dominated by structural dynamics, index machinations and mechanical flows the way World Cup chatter fixates on officiating decisions and bracket construction.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • As is common with Enola Holmes films, zippy flashbacks and kicky montages illuminate what led up to all of this, but there’s an energy missing here, as the film races to get back into the present Maltese moment, which feels dire indeed.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 30 June 2026
  • Anthropic has accused the Chinese firm Alibaba of launching the largest attack yet attempting to clone Claude, as China races to match the capabilities of Anthropic’s leading model following Mythos’ release and subsequent restriction from foreign markets.
    Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • The risk of students using AI to cheat tends to get a lot of attention – with good reason.
    Brett DeJager, The Conversation, 10 July 2026
  • Additionally, utilization tends to increase with larger crews on the space station compared with smaller ones, as maintenance becomes less of a burden with more hands to take on these tasks.
    Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 9 July 2026
Verb
  • There is little reason to believe that a careful weighing of risk and benefit really drives interest in Colossal’s de-extinction efforts.
    Taylor Dotson, Scientific American, 10 July 2026
  • During his winter drives up Interstate 80 toward Lake Tahoe, Sean Bigley keeps his eyes peeled.
    Corey Schmidt July 10, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Runs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/runs. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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