1
as in escapes
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
ran away from an unhappy marriage
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in retreats
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
the child runs away from large dogs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of runs away
In this delightfully science-minded historical fiction novel, one of the main characters runs away from her family to do astronomy while the other clocks up multiple major scientific expeditions under her belt.
—
Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
In this fluffy romance novel, burnt out pop star Amelia Rose runs away in the middle of the night to the Hallmark-worthy town of Rome.
—Amanda Favazza, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
The organ is dropped on the floor and a dog in the waiting room, who'd accidentally consumed marijuana, snaps it up and runs away with it.
—Ana Calderone, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
Their away form is a conundrum for Howe, who, at different times, has presided over a Newcastle team that has gone on both long unbeaten and winless runs away from St James’ Park.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
When, as in this instance, 2,500 people vote on 50 names and one runs away with it, something else is at play.
—Anthony Shore, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
Following the shooting, the individual jumps from a rooftop and runs away from the location.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025
Some of those, err, parts are on display in the finished film, including in one scene where Tatum gets caught bathing in the toy store by a manager (Peter Dinklage) and then runs away fully nude.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
Andor runs away to the synagogue his family had attended before the war, but finds no fulfillment there, either.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2025
Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
In this fluffy romance novel, burnt out pop star Amelia Rose runs away in the middle of the night to the Hallmark-worthy town of Rome.
—Amanda Favazza, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
The organ is dropped on the floor and a dog in the waiting room, who'd accidentally consumed marijuana, snaps it up and runs away with it.
—Ana Calderone, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
Their away form is a conundrum for Howe, who, at different times, has presided over a Newcastle team that has gone on both long unbeaten and winless runs away from St James’ Park.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
When, as in this instance, 2,500 people vote on 50 names and one runs away with it, something else is at play.
—Anthony Shore, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
Following the shooting, the individual jumps from a rooftop and runs away from the location.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025
Some of those, err, parts are on display in the finished film, including in one scene where Tatum gets caught bathing in the toy store by a manager (Peter Dinklage) and then runs away fully nude.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
Andor runs away to the synagogue his family had attended before the war, but finds no fulfillment there, either.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for runs away
Verb
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When a storm traps everyone inside, Hannah must find the culprit before the road clears and the killer escapes.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
1 Mar. 2026
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What escapes sight escapes discipline and, potentially, erasure.—
Anel Rakhimzhanova,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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From its vantage point on the west coast of America, the observatory will be perfectly positioned to provide coverage throughout the eclipse, running from the penumbral phase through totality and beyond, as Earth's shadow retreats from the lunar disk.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
1 Mar. 2026
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Takemikazuchi, the god of thunder, prevails by crushing the arm of Takeminakata, a rival god, who retreats to Lake Suwa and vows never to leave.—
Joshua Hunt,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Becca flees her home to escape her evil stepmother but receives support and friendship from several individuals before Evie mysteriously disappears in 1934.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
15 Feb. 2026
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The president flees these tradeoffs as a matter of course and flip-flops unpredictably when pressures rise.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Qatar Airways, which started Miami service in late 2024, flies to Doha.—
David Lyons,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Mar. 2026
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The engine whine increases again, and the helicopter flies off, spraying us with fine powder.—
Brent Rose,
Outside,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Maybe the Sox can honor Ryan by reminding him of the night Ozzie Guillen and Craig Grebeck hit back-to-back home runs off him in 1990, their only home runs that season.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Feb. 2026
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Unlike traditional atmospheric water generators that require significant electricity to cool the air, Yaghi’s system runs off-grid using only the sun’s heat.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Metra Electric line — which runs from downtown Chicago through the South Side and the south suburbs — saw the highest number of suspensions on commuter rail.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2026
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If a supplement sponsor runs a trial that targets clinical endpoints or disease pathways, the FDA may interpret that as drug-like intent, especially once the results are shared publicly.—
Elise Felicione,
STAT,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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With that in mind, here are a few free agent options who could fit the Yankees if Bellinger bolts.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
14 Jan. 2026
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The canine then bolts across the field and is immediately chased by one horse, with about five more joining in moments later.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Runs away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/runs%20away. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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