runs 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of run
1
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
6
7
as in tends
to show a liking or proneness (for something) unfortunately, members of his family run to fatness

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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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11
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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
Blacksmith, a startup that runs the infrastructure companies use to test code before it ships, has been valued at $1 billion following a new $66 million funding round led by Sequoia Capital. — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026 The person runs their fingers over the camera twice, then eats a banana through the mask before walking away. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026 Inspired by her experience, Purdie now shares her story on social media and runs a community called IVF Sisterhood in hopes of encouraging other women with fertility issues, especially those going through IVF past the age of 45. — Jessica Poitevien, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026 Elon Musk, who runs the company that makes money from artificial-intelligence technology, rockets and other businesses, also said that SpaceX took a step to consider a possible merger with Tesla, his electric-vehicle company. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 Nikon also runs the annual Small World in Motion video competition, which was embroiled in controversy this year. — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 The group also runs STABLE, a program that helps formerly incarcerated Black women with housing, leadership and financial stability. — Daniel Wilkerson, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026 Serhii Sternenko, who runs a foundation supplying drones to Ukrainian forces and previously served as an adviser to Ukraine's defense minister, also reported the Starlink speed limits and later said the speeds were being limited even further. — Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026 Abell Diño-Cabrera, who heads Fire & Ice Media and runs the division’s film and TV development, production, positioning and sales work, will steer the alliance for the Philippine side. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
The team completed both runs and much of the data analysis in about four days, creating enormous datasets designed to help scientists investigate the universe’s earliest moments and interpret observations from major astronomical surveys. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026 The Guardians wouldn’t give up and had the go-ahead run at first base in the eighth when Kevin Kelly struck out Brayan Rocchio to leave the bases loaded after two runs scored. — Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026 Each of the previous two seasons have specific moments that led to those runs. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026 The Rays continue to find ways to manufacture runs, and that's what is most encouraging about the team. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 And while other bull runs have lasted much longer, this one has done something never seen before. — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026 Expect retailers to lean harder into scarcity cues such as small production runs, early-access windows for loyalty members and social-media teasers, all designed to keep shoppers engaged through a longer calendar. — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2026 The Guardians wouldn’t give up and had the go-ahead run at first base in the eighth when Kevin Kelly struck out Brayan Rocchio to leave the bases loaded after two runs had scored earlier in the inning. — ABC News, 19 Oct. 2026 Christian Yelich followed by lining a single up the middle that brought home two runs and knocked Yamamoto out of the game. — CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for runs
Verb
  • When a review begins, the referee jogs straight to a pitchside monitor.
    — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • First inning, Shohei Ohtani walks, steals second, jogs to third on a single by Freddie Freeman, scores on a grounder by Mookie Betts.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • For example, if a bank robbery suspect flees in a vehicle and witnesses provide only a description, investigators can search the database for vehicles matching that description.
    — Gino Vicci, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The agent then flees into the titular pawn shop as a mob of protesters pursue him.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Murali Baggu, who leads the grid-integration program at the National Laboratory of the Rockies, says technical challenges remain and standards are still in flux.
    — Alex Pasternack, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • According to one study, China leads America in 66 of 74 strategically vital technologies, including forms of machine learning and advanced computing.
    — Andrei Iancu, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The insurance bill for the restaurant varies by month, depending on the claims employees file.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • This timeframe varies based on the patient’s treatment, clinical needs, and their symptoms.
    — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The program could also be targeted rather than universal — triggered by sector-specific unemployment spikes, income level, or geography, so the money flows first to the workers AI disrupts most.
    — Sarah Cannon, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The kitchen flows to the laundry room and attached two-car garage.
    — James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Even as China races the United States for AI supremacy, Reuters has reported that China’s Moonshot AI is in talks with Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet for a share of the revenue those companies earn from hosting its Kimi K3 model.
    — NIALL FERGUSON, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The high pressure air in the Great Basin races downhill to the coast.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But as ever, iPhone battery life tends to vary dramatically for everyone, and change a lot over time.
    — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
  • America’s public health communication, which tends to tell and not teach, has failed.
    — Raj Panjabi, STAT, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • This approach also drives innovation by ensuring new technologies address real challenges cotton growers are facing.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026
  • And more importantly, what is this anxiety so many men feel about their emotions that drives them to torturously invent bodies that bear little resemblance to the human form?
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Runs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/runs. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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