RUNNING DOWN Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

running down

verb

present participle of run down

as in finding

to come upon after searching, study, or effort finally ran down the answer after hours of research

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dismissing

to express scornfully one's low opinion of constantly running down the city's cultural life won't do anything to improve it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 down Blair had tears running down her face, while her team worked to explain what happened. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026 The Saudis may also be able to procure more air defense systems from Europe and the US, after running down shipments delivered at the start of the conflict with Iran. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026 The gold numbering, along with a single gold racing stripe wrapping around the armholes, and a distinct gold-and-white striping pattern running down the right side of both the jersey and the shorts. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026 Robbed at Gunpoint The actor posted a video to his Instagram with blood running down his face and neck. — Britina Cheng, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026 The dress was crafted with contrasting fabrics, pairing a firmer, structured bodice with a plunging neckline and buttons running down the front placket with a softer skirt. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026 Tammy Faye stuck by Bakker, often with tears running down her mascara, even as many saw his downfall as a fitting symbol of the greed and hypocrisy of the 1980s. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026 Meanwhile, Lou celebrated her fashion week milestone in a light pink acid wash denim minidress, which featured a structured peplum bodice embellished with buttons running down the front. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 3 Oct. 2026 The water has been running down into Belfie's lot nonstop for at least 11 months. — Liz Crawford, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for running down

Verb

There was very little original local production, and people were finding their favourite TV shows through obscure corners of the web.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
This pliability has made the app particularly popular for casual, real-time occasions—such as finding the ideal hostess gift for a weekend visit or selecting a thoughtful token for a friend—without resorting to generic fallback options.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of finding

Verb

Things get even more alarming when Eidra can’t reach Tom Libby and reports start rolling in that Vaughn is dismissing everyone in Trowbridge’s government who’d had a significant relationship with Kate and her team.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
Citing 2026 laureate Navi Pillay—known for charging Israel with genocide and dismissing free speech—Schatz warns the award now rewards ideological insider posturing rather than genuine efforts to achieve international peace.

— Staff, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of dismissing

Verb

Rilke writes about solitude, love, patience and learning to live with uncertainty.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 16 Oct. 2026
The program provides training in barista skills, espresso brewing, earning a food handler’s license, learning point-of-sale systems, customer service skills, food prep and other more general workplace skills.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of learning

Verb

According to Healthline, testosterone may help protect the brain by slowing nerve cell death, promoting regeneration after injury, minimizing nerve damage and reducing inflammation in the nervous system.

— Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
Other Preventative Aphid Control Good garden hygiene, even during the fall and winter months, is crucial for minimizing harborage areas for both overwintering aphid eggs and adults, according to Crumbley.

— Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of minimizing

Verb

Wang failed her first attempt to defend her dissertation and became envious of her colleague's success in discovering how to deliver RNA to human cells using bacteria, Gomelsky told The Associated Press.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
The broader ecosystem is tasked with making that economically viable, at a time when consumers are discovering content differently than ever before, while also watching TV in more ways than ever before.

— Travis Clark, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of discovering

Verb

Police chief Fuller is correct — talking down a place can be self-fulfilling.

— Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Leadership training disputes The lawsuit alleges Petersen began subjecting Kennon to discriminatory treatment around January 2024, including talking down to her, ignoring her and questioning her judgment.

— Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of talking down

Verb

Authorities in northeastern Minnesota are asking for the public's help in locating a 16-year-old girl last seen in Minneapolis.

— WCCO Staff, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
The mounting holes, locating slots, and curved bodies reproduced clearly, although visible layer lines and some surface unevenness made these less polished than my fine-detail test prints.

— Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of locating

Verb

That global warming is diminishing them might sounds counterintuitive — climate change, after all, is worsening much of the world’s extreme weather.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Winds will finally begin diminishing Friday evening and overnight.

— Michael Autovino, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of diminishing

Browse Nearby Words

running dogs

running down

running hand

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

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

Copy Citation

Synonyms of running down

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes