run away 1 of 3

verb

Definition of run awaynext
1
as in to escape
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation ran away from an unhappy marriage

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to retreat
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening the child runs away from large dogs

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

runaway

2 of 3

adjective

as in rampant
showing no signs of being under control a region plagued by runaway suburban sprawl

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

runaway

3 of 3

noun

as in sweep

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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 run away
Verb
Nini, who was last seen running away, and Malcolm the tabby cat, who's still unaccounted for. — Megan Shinn, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026 Kam Patterson also features in the sketch, which culminates in his, Reiter and Thompson’s characters stealing jerseys from the empty locker room and running away. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 26 Sep. 2026
Adjective
Those who crafted the bill hope that new pool of money shifts third-party NIL — marketing deals between athletes and entities related to the schools that have long been seen as the key culprit in runaway spending — to under that spending cap. — ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026 And all while the rest of us pay the price for his outrageous tariffs, exploding debt, loss of 100,000 manufacturing jobs, soaring interest rates, gutting of our healthcare system, and runaway energy costs. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
Noun
But those observations are more compelling when applied to Alice, a former teen-age runaway who, in another life, might have ended up where Catherine is now. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 30 July 2026 Van Dokkum was not involved in the study but did lead the 2023 team that found the potential runaway with a tail of stars. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for run away
Recent Examples of Synonyms for run away
  1. escape
  2. retreat
  3. rampant
  4. sweep
  5. flee
  6. fly
  7. uncontrolled
  8. blowout
Verb
  • However, the abduction goes wrong, and Jeong-yo is shot in his attempt to escape.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The Fasano Trancoso is an idyllic getaway for those looking to escape the madding crowds.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of escape
Verb
  • The militant group took over roughly one-third of Iraq after key Iraqi army divisions collapsed and retreated in the onslaught.
    — Jane Arraf, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The Taurus Moon opposes Venus across your career and home zones, making recognition, responsibility, or visibility compete with the desire to retreat somewhere familiar.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of retreat
Adjective
  • When asked about rampant rumors that Sarandos had been courting HBO/HBO Max content chairman Casey Bloys for a job or production deal, the exec downplayed it.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Parents can no longer rely on grades to gauge their child’s actual knowledge, but that’s also true in many wealthy school districts and even in some private schools, where grade inflation is rampant.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of rampant
Noun
  • Key justices appeared wary about the potential sweep of litigation, but torn over the complex questions of federal and state law raised by the case.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Resolving the case avoids a trial where Merrill intended to defend its rates as standard among bank sweep programs, arguing that sweep accounts are meant for short-term liquidity rather than long-term investment yield.
    — Chase Jordan October 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of sweep
Verb
  • Yemen's civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis descended from their northern stronghold, capturing Sanaa and forcing the government to flee into exile in Saudi Arabia.
    — AHMED AL-HAJ, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The victim reported that four teenagers stole their necklace and fled the scene, according to police.
    — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of flee
Verb
  • With his ring powered up, John flies over and drops off a bag of money as restitution to the waitress Maggie (Hannah Christine Shetler) who lost her family in the Manhunter attack.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The system is designed to provide short-range protection against drones, helicopters and low-flying aircraft, adding an air-defense layer alongside NMESIS’ anti-ship capability.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of fly
Adjective
  • Causes may include uncontrolled high blood pressure, trauma from a fall or accident, or overtreatment of blood thinners.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The International Court of Justice (ICJ) could help stop the uncontrolled proliferation of satellites in Earth orbit, which threatens to erase stars from the sky, astronomers hope.
    — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of uncontrolled
Noun
  • Then there’s a big dropoff in snaps to the young guys who have entered in blowouts, led by Mykah Newton (19) and Keyshawn Stancil (18).
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Bond yield blowout Worries about a potential debt crisis in France boiled over last week, leading to a selloff in French bonds and a sharp rise in yields.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of blowout

Browse Nearby Words

runaround
run away
runaway
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Cite this Entry

“Run away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/run%20away. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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