run-up

1 of 2

noun

Synonyms of run-upnext
1
: the act of running up something
2
: a usually sudden increase in volume or price
3
: a period immediately preceding an action or event

run up

2 of 2

verb

ran up; run up; running up; runs up

intransitive verb

: to grow rapidly : shoot up

transitive verb

1
: bid up
2
: to stitch together quickly
3
: to erect hastily
4
: to achieve by accumulating
ran up a big lead

Examples of run-up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Delta is still analysts’ favorite pick for long-term investors, but the stock’s run-up prompted the rating change. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 6 July 2026 David Freire-Obregón, an associate professor in Spain who has studied that problem, said that future models will help goalkeepers identify potential tells in shooters’ run-ups while also identifying individual players’ specific patterns. Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 3 July 2026
Verb
The hype of artificial intelligence is running up against pricey realities, at least for now. Joel Mathis, TheWeek, 2 July 2026 One unnamed company, per Axios, ran up a $500 million Claude bill in a single month after management forgot to set a usage cap. Jemma Green, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for run-up

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of run-up was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Run-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/run-up. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

run up

verb
: to cause to pile up : accumulate
ran up a big telephone bill

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