ran
ˈran 
also chiefly dialectal run; run; running
also chiefly dialectal run; run; running
1
2
3
4
a
: to contend in a race
b
: to enter into an election contest
will run for mayor
5
a
: to move on or as if on wheels : glide
file drawers running on ball bearings
b
: to roll forward rapidly or freely
c
: to pass or slide freely
a rope runs through the pulley
d
: to ravel lengthwise
stockings guaranteed not to run
6
: to sing or play a musical passage quickly
run up the scale
7
a
: to go back and forth : ply
the train runs between New York and Washington
b
of fish
: to migrate or move in considerable numbers
especially
: to move up or down a river to spawn
8
9
a(1)
: to continue in force, operation, or production
the contract has two more years to run
the play ran for six months
(2)
: to have a specified duration, extent, or length
the manuscript runs nearly 500 pages
b
: to accompany as a valid obligation or right
a right-of-way that runs with the land
c
: to continue to accrue or become payable
interest on the loan runs from July 1
10
: to pass from one state to another
run into debt
11
12
a
: to develop rapidly in some specific direction
especially
: to throw out an elongated shoot of growth
b
: to tend to produce or develop a specified quality or feature
they run to big noses in that family
13
a
: to lie in or take a certain direction
the boundary line runs east
b
: to lie or extend in relation to something
c
: to go back : reach
d(1)
: to be in a certain form or expression
the letter runs as follows
(2)
: to be in a certain order of succession
14
a
: to occur persistently
musical talent runs in the family
b(1)
: to remain of a specified size, amount, character, or quality
profits were running high
(2)
: to have or maintain a relative position or condition (as in a race)
ran third
running late
c
: to exist or occur in a continuous range of variation
shades run from white to dark gray
15
a
: to spread or pass quickly from point to point
chills ran up her spine
b
: to be current : circulate
speculation ran rife
1
a
: to cause (an animal) to go rapidly : ride or drive fast
b
: to bring to a specified condition by or as if by running
ran himself to death
d
: to follow the trail of backward : trace
ran the rumor to its source
e
: to enter, register, or enroll as a contestant in a race
f
: to put forward as a candidate for office
g
: to carry (the football) on a running play
2
a
: to drive (livestock) especially to a grazing place
b
: to provide pasturage for (livestock)
c
: to keep or maintain (livestock) on or as if on pasturage
3
a(1)
: to pass over or traverse with speed
(2)
: to run on or over in athletic competition
runs the bases well
run the floor
b
: to accomplish or perform by or as if by running
ran a great race
run errands
c
: to slip or go through or past
run a blockade
run a red light
d
: to travel on in a boat
run the rapids
4
5
: to cause to pass lightly or quickly over, along, or into something
ran her eye down the list
6
8
a
: to cause to move or flow in a specified way or into a specified position
run cards into a file
b
: to cause to produce a flow (as of water)
run the faucet
also
: to prepare by running a faucet
run a hot bath
9
10
: to make oneself liable to : incur
ran the risk of discovery
11
: to mark out : draw
run a contour line on a map
12
a
: to permit (charges) to accumulate before settling
run a tab at the bar
—often used with upran up a large phone bill
b
: cost sense 1
rooms that run $50 a night
13
a
: to produce by or as if by printing
—usually used with off
ran off 10,000 copies of the first edition
b
: to carry in a printed medium : print
every newspaper ran the story
14
a
: to make (a series of counts) without a miss
run 19 in an inning in billiards
b
: to lead winning cards of (a suit) successively
c
: to alter by addition
ran his record to six wins and four losses
15
: to make (a golf ball) roll forward after alighting
16
baseball
: to eject (a player, coach, or manager) from a game
Ron Luciano ran Weaver early in game one of a doubleheader in 1975, and then ran him again during the lineup meeting prior to the start of game two.—
Jeff Burd
Jeff Burd
Using Run in the Past Tense: Usage Guide
The past tense run still survives in speech in southern England and in the speech especially of older people in some parts of the U.S. It was formerly used in literature, and was a standard variant in our dictionaries from 1828 until 1934. Grammarians have generally opposed it, and many people consider it nonstandard. Just about everybody uses ran in writing now.
1
a
: an act or the action of running : continued rapid movement
b
: a quickened gallop
c
: a migration of fish (as up or down a river) especially to spawn
also
: such fish in the process of migration
d
: a running race
a mile run
e
: a score made in baseball by a runner reaching home plate safely
f
: strength or ability to run
g
: a gain of a usually specified distance made on a running play in football
scored on a 25-yard run
also
: a running play
h
: a sustained usually aggressive effort (as to win or obtain something)
making a run at the championship
2
a
chiefly Midland US
: creek sense 1
b
: something that flows in the course of an operation or during a particular time
the first run of sap in sugar maples
3
a
: the stern of the underwater body of a ship from where it begins to curve or slope upward and inward
b
: the direction in which a vein of ore lies
c
: a direction of secondary or minor cleavage : grain
the run of a mass of granite
d
: a horizontal distance (such as that covered by a flight of steps)
e
: general tendency or direction
4
: a continuous period or series especially of things of identical or similar sort
a run of bad luck
: such as
a
: a rapid passage up or down a scale in vocal or instrumental music
b
: a number of rapid small dance steps executed in even tempo
c
: the act of making successively a number of successful shots or strokes
also
: the score thus made
a run of 20 in billiards
d
: an unbroken course of performances or showings
a long run on Broadway
e
: a set of consecutive measurements, readings, or observations
f
: persistent and heavy demands from depositors, creditors, or customers
a run on a bank
5
: the quantity of work turned out in a continuous operation
a press run of 10,000 copies
6
: the usual or normal kind, character, type, or group
the average run of students
7
a
: the distance covered in a period of continuous traveling or sailing
b
: a course or trip especially if mapped out and traveled with regularity
c
: a news reporter's regular territory : beat
d
: freedom of movement in or access to a place or area
has the run of the house
8
a
: the period during which a machine or plant is in continuous operation
b
: the use of machinery for a single set of processing procedures
a computer run
9
10
a
: an inclined course (as for skiing or bobsledding)
b
: a support (such as a track, pipe, or trough) on which something runs
11
a
: a ravel in a knitted fabric (as in hosiery) caused by the breaking of stitches
b
: a paint defect caused by excessive flow
12
1
a
: being in a melted state
run butter
b
: made from molten material : cast in a mold
run metal
2
of fish
: having made a migration or spawning run
a fresh run salmon
3
: exhausted or winded from running
Examples of run in a Sentence
Verb
How fast can you run?
He runs faster than anyone else on the team.
She ran up the stairs to get her jacket.
We ran for the train—but missed it.
I heard her scream and ran to help.
She ran to me for help.
The dog ran away from me.
The dog ran toward me.
When I called the dog, he came running.
Don't expect me to come running every time you want something. I'm not your servant.
Noun
He goes for a six-mile run every evening.
She took the dogs out for a run.
Recent Examples on the Web
Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
The duo will produce the film with David Glasser, who runs Sheridan’s production company 101 Studios.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Shane Bieber earned the win for Toronto, pitching 5 ⅓ innings and allowing just one run.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for run
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.
Verb
Since last Thursday, Disney has run public messages notifying YouTube TV customers of a possible blackout.
—Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
The duo will produce the film with David Glasser, who runs Sheridan’s production company 101 Studios.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
Hawkins has portrayed Atwater throughout the show’s entire run.
—Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Shane Bieber earned the win for Toronto, pitching 5 ⅓ innings and allowing just one run.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for run
Cite this Entry
“Run.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/run. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
run
1 of 2 verb
ran
ˈran
; run; running
; run; running
1
a
: to go at a pace faster than a walk
b
: to take to flight : flee
made the enemy run
2
: to move or allow to move freely about
chickens running loose
running around without a coat
3
a
: to go or cause to go rapidly or hurriedly
run and get the doctor
b
: to go in pursuit of : chase
had run the woodchuck into its hole
4
: to do something by or as if by running
run errands
5
a
: to take part in a race
b
: to be or cause to be a candidate in an election
ran for mayor
6
a
: to move on or as if on wheels
b
: to ravel lengthwise
stockings guaranteed not to run
7
a
: to go back and forth
the bus runs every hour
b
: to migrate or move in schools
especially
: to go up a river to spawn
shad are running in the river
8
a
: operate sense 1
I can run that machine
left the engine running
b
: to cause to be treated or operated on : process
ran my program on the computer
9
: to continue in force or operation
the contract has two years to run
the play ran for six months
10
: to pass into a specified condition
run into debt
11
a
: to move as a liquid : flow
b
: to dissolve and spread out
colors guaranteed not to run
c
: to give off liquid
my nose is running
12
: to tend to develop a specified quality or feature
one of those people who run to fat
13
a
: extend sense 4
the boundary line runs east
b
: to be in a certain form or order
14
a
: to occur again and again
a song running through my head
a condition that runs in their family
b
: to exist or occur in a continuous range of variation
15
: to be in circulation
speculation ran wild
16
: trace entry 2 sense 2a
ran the rumor to its source
17
: to slip through or past
run a blockade
18
: to pass over, across, or through
19
a
: to cause or allow to go
ran the rascals out of town
ran the car off the road
b
: to be in charge of : manage
run a factory
20
: to make oneself liable to : incur
ran the risk of discovery
run
2 of 2 noun1
a
: an act or the action of running
b
: a fast gallop
c
: an annual migration of fish up a river especially to spawn
also
: a group of fish migrating especially to spawn
d
: a running race
the 1500-meter run
e
: a score made in baseball by a base runner reaching home plate
2
a
chiefly Midland
: creek sense 2
b
: something that flows especially during a certain time
the first run of maple sap
3
a
: the horizontal distance from one point to another
b
: general tendency or direction
4
: a continuous series especially of similar things
a long run of cloudy days
5
: sudden heavy demands from depositors, creditors, or customers
a run on a bank
6
: the quantity of work turned out in a continuous operation
also
: a period of continuous operation
7
: the usual or normal kind
average run of students
8
a
: the distance covered in a period of continuous traveling
b
: regular course or trip
the bus makes four runs daily
c
: freedom of movement
has the run of the house
9
a
: a way, track, or path often traveled by animals
b
: an enclosure for animals where they may feed or exercise
10
a
: an inclined course (as for skiing)
b
: a track or guide on which something runs
11
: a ravel in a knitted fabric
12
plural
: diarrhea
had a bad case of the runs
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