running 1 of 4

adjective

Definition of runningnext
1
as in operating
being in effective operation the car has been running for almost an entire day

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Relevance

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2
as in continuous
going on and on without any interruptions a running struggle just to make ends meet

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

running

2 of 4

noun

ˈrə-niŋ How to pronounce running (audio)
as in management
the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something left the running of the corporation to his subordinates

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running

3 of 4

adverb

as in successively
in succession without others coming in between he won the championship five times running

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running

4 of 4

verb

present participle of run
1
as in jogging
to go at a pace faster than a walk we ran all the way to the bus stop, but still missed the bus

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2
as in flying
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening rather than run from a black bear, it's better to hold your ground and make lots of noise

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3
as in leading
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 ranging
to occur within a continuous range of variation the electric bill runs between 30 and 50 dollars a month

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5
as in flowing
to move in a stream water running down the window

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in racing
to proceed or move quickly run and get the nurse

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7
as in tending
to show a liking or proneness (for something) unfortunately, members of his family run to fatness

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8
as in driving
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 using
to control the mechanical operation of I know how to run that machine

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10
as in becoming
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
as in melting
to go from a solid to a liquid state her makeup started to run when she got in the pool

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12
as in managing
to look after and make decisions about learning to run the family business

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13
as in activating
to cause to function in olden days mills were run by flowing water

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14
as in costing
to have a price of that sort of computer runs at least several hundred dollars

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15
as in traveling
to come or be together as friends he's been running with a bad crowd lately

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16
as in chasing
to go after or on the track of if that dog continues to run cars, he's going to get seriously hurt

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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 running
Adjective
State media outlets even circulated the absurd accusation, later immortalized as a running joke, that protesters were being fed and financed by Kentucky Fried Chicken. — Abdelrahman Elgendy, Time, 6 Oct. 2026 Kramer joined Black Bear 15 months ago after co-running CAA’s Media Finance division for eight years. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
Sal Frelick robbed Freddie Freeman of a double with a nice running catch in the right center field gap, but an error on a pickoff attempt at first base brought Edman in to score. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026 While club competitions revenue mostly goes back to the teams as prize money, UEFA needs lucrative national-team events to fund its own running costs, support 55 member federations and keep a reserves fund around 500 million euros ($560 million). — ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
Ties between the two countries remain strained over their long-running Himalayan border dispute, which erupted into a deadly skirmishes in 2020 that saw soldiers from both sides use rocks and iron rods in brutal hand-to-hand combat. — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026 This year’s show, running until Halloween night, promises to be a celebration of two decades to remember for fans new and old. — Benjamin Carr, AJC.com, 10 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for running
Recent Examples of Synonyms for running
  1. operating
  2. continuous
  3. management
  4. successively
  5. jogging
  6. flying
  7. leading
  8. ranging
Adjective
  • That sits on the books of the league’s 32 Equity investment arm, and 1/32 of any gains or losses in the entity flow through the Packers’ non-operating income.
    — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 24 July 2026
  • True, some if the upside surprise has come from non-operating gains on holdings in huge, private AI pioneers, but not all of it.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 2 June 2026
Definition of operating
Adjective
  • The French broadcaster said the cyberattack involved forcing a continuous defrost cycle, setting temperatures to 50°C (122°F).
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The jean is enhanced with a continuous one-piece fly dating to 1877 and is made with a single-needle construction, with no serger or overlock method.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of continuous
Noun
  • White said Salvation Brands is not to be confused with the big brand management firms such as Authentic Brands Group and WHP Global, which are getting all the attention these days.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Authorities in both countries were investigating the cyber incidents, which exposed vulnerabilities in some older refrigeration management systems and in the countries' highly efficient food supply chains.
    — JOHN LEICESTER, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of management
Adverb
  • Their concentrations then increase at successively higher trophic levels (levels of the food chain) as organisms consume contaminated prey.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Samsung has successively shaved a few millimeters off every year, taking a leap last year with the Z Fold 7.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of successively
Verb
  • As the storm approached Puerto Vallarta, National Guard vehicles patrolled the streets while police used a megaphone to call out the few people who were jogging, walking their dogs or biking by the waterfront.
    — Fernando Llano, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Brooks came back to the sideline 20 minutes later, and was spotted jogging.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of jogging
Verb
  • Almost all of the birds on Palmyra Atoll rely on the ocean, flying out to sea daily to feed on fish or squid, bringing some back for their young.
    — Lauren Sommer, NPR, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Six Flags Great Adventure via Facebook While riding Nitro, riders can see the Philadelphia skyline for a glimpse before flying down a 215-foot drop.
    — Nikki DeMentri, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of flying
Verb
  • With the status of leading rusher Jeremy Payne up in the air, TCU will have to lean more into this offensive identity to support a defense and special teams unit playing at such an elite level.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2026
  • OpenAI has reportedly floated the idea of giving the government up to a 5% stake in the company and suggested other leading AI companies do the same.
    — Sarah Cannon, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of leading
Verb
  • The company supplied a variety of resins, each formulated for specific applications ranging from small decorative models to functional engineering parts.
    — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Although Williamsburg has become a hot spot for brands ranging from Hermès to The North Face for new retail locations, Rew the Store is carving out a niche for its conceptual design and strong portfolio of brands.
    — Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of ranging

Phrases Containing running

Browse Nearby Words

runners
running
running across
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Cite this Entry

“Running.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/running. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on running

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about running

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