running
Americannoun
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the act of a person, animal, or thing that runs.
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managing or directing.
the running of a business.
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an act or instance of racing.
the 113th running of the Kentucky Derby.
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the condition of a track or surface to be run or raced on.
Our track team had muddy running today.
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the amount, quality, or type of a liquid flow.
adjective
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galloping, racing, moving, or passing rapidly.
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(of a horse)
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going or proceeding rapidly at the gait of a gallop.
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taught to proceed at a gallop.
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creeping or climbing, as plants.
a running vine.
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moving or proceeding easily or smoothly.
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moving when pulled or hauled, as a rope.
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slipping or sliding easily, as a knot or a noose.
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operating or functioning, as a machine.
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(of measurement) linear; straight-line.
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cursive, as handwriting.
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flowing, as a stream.
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liquid or fluid.
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the running month.
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prevalent, as a condition or state.
running prices.
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going or carried on continuously; sustained.
a running commentary.
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extending or repeated continuously.
a running pattern.
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performed with or during a run.
a running leap.
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discharging pus or other matter.
a running sore.
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Nautical. noting any of various objects or assemblages of objects that may be moved in ordinary use.
running bowsprit;
running gaff.
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Nautical, Machinery.
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noting any block of a tackle that moves.
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noting the part of the fall of a tackle that moves through the blocks (opposed to standing).
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adverb
idioms
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in the running,
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participating or entered as a competitor.
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under consideration as a candidate or possible choice.
Who is still in the running for the directorship?
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among the winners or those making a good showing.
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out of the running,
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not competing in a contest or race.
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not among the winners or runners-up in a contest or race.
to finish out of the running.
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adjective
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maintained continuously; incessant
a running battle
running commentary
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(postpositive) without interruption; consecutive
he lectured for two hours running
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denoting or relating to the scheduled operation of a public vehicle
the running time of a train
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accomplished at a run
a running jump
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(of a knot) sliding along the rope from which it is made, so as to form a noose which becomes smaller when the rope is pulled
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(of a wound, sore, etc) discharging pus or a serous fluid
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denoting or relating to operations for maintenance
running repairs
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prevalent; current
running prices
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repeated or continuous
a running design
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(of certain plants, plant stems, etc) creeping along the ground
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flowing
running water
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(of handwriting) having the letters run together
noun
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management or organization
the running of a company
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operation or maintenance
the running of a machine
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competition or a competitive situation (in the phrases in the running , out of the running )
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to set the pace in a competition or race
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rare the power or ability to run
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of running
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The group started their descent from Camp 4 on 29 May, with Pasang Kaji and Chmielewski going first, as Chmielewski was running out of oxygen.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
The straw has a strange menacing string running through it and poking out of the tip, and the cup’s utility is squished into near-unrecognizability.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
Once up and running for commercial use, Starship is expected to enable SpaceX to begin launching its advanced V3 Starlink satellites and AI satellites, which are core to its AI strategy.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026
We evaluated streaming performance and P2P behavior by running downloads and streaming concurrently to observe throttling and buffering.
From Salon • Jun. 10, 2026
Phineas is like a small child who says he is running away from home after lunch and then comes up with a new idea over his sandwich.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
