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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
The running game in Kansas City is a lot better than people are giving it credit for. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 And Langley’s hit has broken numerous chart records including becoming the longest running Number One song in Billboard Hot 100 history. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026
Noun
The new Pioneer was created in partnership with Saquon Barkley, widely considered one of the most explosive running backs in the NFL, who has given the luxury sports watch a very cool twist. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 Oct. 2026 Many states already have state-level tax credits focused on helping families pay for private school, and very few of the SGOs that are already up and running are public school-oriented. — Cory Turner, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
The Democratic nominee against Knott hopes for an upset in a year when even Republican members in safe seats like the 13th District are running scared. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 Amenities and experiences The hotel is very much integrated into the neighborhood, with its three restaurants on street level and open to the public, and the High Line running just through—though never touching—the building. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 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
  • The Georgia park was closed on Tuesday for a pre-scheduled non-operating day, officials said.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of operating
Adjective
  • The real cost of RPM lies in building workflows, interoperable systems, secure infrastructure and skilled teams that turn continuous data into timely action.
    — Ayush Jain, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The only way to keep the mirrors pristine is to pump a continuous hurricane of hydrogen gas into the supernova’s blast radius.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of continuous
Noun
  • In doing so, the emirate has built resilience through diversified desalination, energy demand management, and long-term infrastructure planning.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Its eventual deployment could help the university explore how emerging aircraft fit into policing, emergency management, and engineering education.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 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
  • Within seconds of the performance ending, the players were jogging back onto the floor.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of jogging
Verb
  • D’haene said the company also wants to identify practical applications beyond leisure flying.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • For many years people believed that light was made out of particles flying in straight rays.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of flying
Verb
  • By halftime, the fourth-year pro who entered the game leading the NFL in receptions and yards stood at six catches, 129 yards and a touchdown.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Booker scored 19 points in the first half, leading the Suns to a 57-54 halftime lead.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of leading
Verb
  • They were showered with expensive clothes, spa treatments, and drugs, and given weekly allowances ranging from $150 to $200.
    — Samantha Bergeson, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The pamphlet includes information on topics ranging from gender identity to what students can do if their parents do not support them.
    — Brian New, CBS News, 21 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 27 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on running

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about running

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