RUNNING AWAY Synonyms: 104 Similar and Opposite Words

running away 1 of 2

noun

as in leaving

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Dissimilar Words

running away

2 of 2

verb

present participle of run away

as in escaping

to get free from a dangerous or confining situation ran away from an unhappy marriage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in retreating

to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening the child runs away from large dogs

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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 away

Verb

The one who wouldn’t stop running away? — Literary Hub, 26 May 2026 The bear bit through flesh and bone, dragging him for about 20 feet before dropping him and running away. — Los Angeles Times, Boston Herald, 8 June 2026 The bear bit through flesh and bone, dragging him for about 20 feet before dropping him and running away. — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026 Woman faceplants running away from bison. — David Hookstead Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026 Liza Demming, who lives two houses down from where most of the victims were shot, said her security camera captured video of the suspect running away along with the sound of two shots. — ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026 Liza Demming, who lives two houses down from where most of the victims were shot, said her security camera captured video of the suspect running away along with the sound of two shots. — Gerald Herbert, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2026 Crews were back out on Saturday to search for a man who Elgin police said was running away with a large knife and went into the Fox River after an incident Friday morning. — Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 27 June 2026 On Saturday, July 4, the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department rescued a dog that had fallen into a well after running away scared from the sound of fireworks. — Emily Harter, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for running away

Noun

Spurs finished 17th in each of the past two seasons and, while Gordon and Isak leaving was frustrating, that was also understandable.

— David Ornstein, New York Times, 1 July 2026
The students, who were taking their secondary school leaving examinations when they were attacked and abducted, are between 15 and 18 years old.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 June 2026

Definition of leaving

Verb

The combination remained effective because escaping both antibodies required multiple simultaneous mutations rather than a single genetic change.

— William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Workers were able to prevent more than 1,000 other monkeys at the facility from escaping.

— Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of escaping

Verb

What’s more, despite retreating somewhat, high fuel prices continue to chomp away at motorists’ budgets.

— Jim Gorzelany, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Fast-forward to this week, and CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks hit intraday all-time highs Monday, before retreating a bit Tuesday.

— Zev Fima, CNBC, 7 July 2026

Definition of retreating

Noun

The moves were meant to reshape the roster to maximize superstar Luka Doncic, who will take the reins with the departure of LeBron James.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Johnston, Cobbins leaving Johnston’s departure comes just three years after becoming the long-term replacement for former County Administrator Doug Bach, who left the government under an $800,000 separation agreement.

— Sofi Zeman July 2, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026

Definition of departure

Verb

At the heart of every Freak is its distinctive flying carousel architecture.

— Anthony DeMarco, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Surveillance footage captured by a camera on the affected home, shared by Avila's daughter Jennifer Barbour on Facebook, shows the vehicle flying off the road before striking the home.

— Greta Cross, USA Today, 7 July 2026

Definition of flying

Noun

Sweden, especially, seemed content to play conservatively, which forced France to take mediocre shots in the early going.

— Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
The side referee puts up the flag for offside, and this one remains scoreless in the early going.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 June 2026

Definition of going

Verb

Cendejas said Wahab needs to focus her time on getting out to voters in the district while the state Legislature is in recess between July and August.

— Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 24 June 2026
Stewart surrendered a solo homer to Brooks Lee before getting out of the ninth.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026

Definition of getting out

Browse Nearby Words

running amok

running away

running by

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Style

“Running away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/running%20away. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of running away

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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