runaway

1 of 3

noun

run·​away ˈrə-nə-ˌwā How to pronounce runaway (audio)
1
: one that runs away from danger, duty, or restraint : fugitive
2
: the act of running away out of control
also : something (such as a horse) that is running out of control
3
: a one-sided or overwhelming victory

runaway

2 of 3

adjective

1
a
: running away : fugitive
b
: leaving to gain special advantages (such as lower wages) or avoid disadvantages (such as governmental or union restrictions)
runaway shipping firms
a runaway shop
2
: accomplished by elopement or during flight
3
: won by or having a long lead
a runaway success
also : extremely successful
a runaway bestseller
4
: subject to uncontrolled changes
runaway inflation
5
: being or operating out of control
a runaway oil well
a runaway nuclear reactor

run away

3 of 3

verb

ran away; run away; running away; runs away

intransitive verb

1
a
: to leave quickly in order to avoid or escape something
b
: to leave home
especially : elope
2
: to run out of control : stampede, bolt
3
: to gain a substantial lead : win by a large margin

see also run away with

Examples of runaway in a Sentence

Adjective The play was a runaway success. a region plagued by runaway suburban sprawl Verb ran away from an unhappy marriage the child runs away from large dogs
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
About 41% of people actively missing in the city as of Dec. 13 were classified by Detroit police as runaways, according to data posted on the page. Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 19 Dec. 2024 Two years ago, the Bruins won the Pac-12 title in a runaway, topping second-place Arizona by four games. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
And that kind of runaway imagination is so Rosie in Cross My Heart. Megan Collins, People.com, 12 Jan. 2025 Sure enough, after the impacts from the piston, the HSV-1 cells became active and began causing their usual havoc – sparking inflammation, fostering the growth of tangle-causing amyloid plaques, killing off neurons, and leading to a runaway development of glial cells in a process called gliosis. Michael Franco, New Atlas, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
Then, some law enforcement officers and bystanders can be seen running away from the white vehicle. Filip Timotija, The Hill, 10 Jan. 2025 The West Valley League basketball season begins this week with two games that should tell everyone whether Chatsworth is going to run away with the league title. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for runaway 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of runaway was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near runaway

Cite this Entry

“Runaway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/runaway. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

runaway

1 of 3 noun
run·​away ˈrən-ə-ˌwā How to pronounce runaway (audio)
1
: a person who runs away : fugitive
2
: the act of running away out of control
also : something (as a horse) that is running out of control

runaway

2 of 3 adjective
1
: running away : fugitive
2
: being out of control

run away

3 of 3 verb
ˌrən-ə-ˈwā
1
: to leave in a hurry especially to escape from danger or confinement
2
: to leave home

More from Merriam-Webster on runaway

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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