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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16

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
Across the sector as a whole, average payout now runs closer to seven percent, but that average conceals where the money sits. Vandana Arcot, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026 The deepening rift comes as da Silva, a leftist, runs for a fourth term. Rafi Schwartz, TheWeek, 14 Aug. 2026 But respect only runs one way, and — despite an impeccable résumé and unrivaled skillset — John isn’t on the receiving end. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026 Elliot who runs Atlantic and Tom and Aaron who run Warner Records and many others, a guy Carianne who run Warner Chappell. Max Tani, semafor.com, 14 Aug. 2026 The yoke seam runs inverted, sitting over the leg panel rather than beneath it. Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 14 Aug. 2026 Inge Michiels runs Jetpet Global, which transports animals in and out of Bahrain. Steve Walsh, NPR, 13 Aug. 2026 The auction runs from Thursday, August 13, to Saturday, August 15. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 13 Aug. 2026 To counter statin misinformation, the Mayo Clinic featured on YouTube Stephen Kopecky, a cardiologist who runs its Statin Intolerance Clinic. Avi Tuschman, STAT, 13 Aug. 2026
Noun
The Angels broke open the game with four runs and six hits off Texas left-hander Jordan Montgomery in the fifth. ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026 The offense has been especially dangerous in August — 36 of their 70 runs this month have come with two outs. Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 The Nationals’ lefty, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 draft, pitched into the fifth inning and allowed three runs. Danielle Allentuck, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2026 Stewart scored four times and Suárez drove in four runs as Cincinnati took the rubber game in the three-game series. CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 Right-hander Tanner Bibee gave up four runs (three earned) over 5 2/3 innings for the Guardians (57-58), including back-to-back homers from Brett Baty and Polanco. Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026 The races include a 2K beach run, surfskiing, run-swim-runs and an Ironman/Ironwoman course that includes swimming, a surfboard, a surfboat and a beach sprint. Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026 Both John and Robert Kennedy announced their presidential runs there. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 6 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for runs
Verb
  • Against Senegal, Odegaard casually jogs off the pitch at the near post to drag a player away from the box as Julian Ryerson delivers the corner.
    Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • Holden eagerly rebels against Pencey Prep, gets the boot, and flees to New York City, a place with its own vices and hazards, but without the sort of propaganda and pretense that obscure the school’s dark underside.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Ulf’s dragon, Silverwing, flees the scene and lives out the rest of her days as a wild dragon.
    James Grebey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Tordin now leads the NWSL in goal contributions (seven goals, eight assists), just ahead of Rodman and Sanchez.
    Emily Olsen, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Schwarber, who leads the National League with 35 homers, singled and scored in the fifth, and doubled home Garrett Stubbs in the seventh to add to the lead.
    CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The burden varies depending on how open the model is and how mature the supporting software ecosystem has become.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026
  • That dynamic varies considerably from installment to installment.
    Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The Blanco is a tributary of the San Marcos, which flows into the Guadalupe, and on into the Gulf of Mexico.
    Natalie Wolchover, Quanta Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The sticking point has been over control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil normally flows.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • November races to watch With three months until election day, four swing districts in California, Washington and Arizona could play key roles.
    Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
  • In The Secret of Secrets novel, symbologist Robert Langdon races against ancient forces and time to rescue a missing scientist and her groundbreaking manuscript whose discoveries have the power to forever change humanity’s understanding of the mind.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • There’s a frightening imbalance in how the mainstream media report on these candidates, which tends to take it pretty easy on the latter.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Because no single firm bears the cost to society of energy price shocks, the private sector tends to underinvest in these safeguards, making their formation dependent on government action.
    Jason Bordoff, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Locarno Pro itself drives to identify opportunities during good times and industry malaise.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The longtime Disney executive had most recently served as chairman of Disney Experiences, the unit that includes the theme parks, cruise lines and consumer products, and which drives profitability for the company.
    Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Runs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/runs. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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