running mate
Americannoun
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a candidate for an office linked with another and more important office, as for the vice-presidency.
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a horse entered in a race in which another, more important, horse from the same stable, or belonging to the same owner, is run.
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a close companion.
noun
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a candidate for the subordinate of two linked positions, esp a candidate for the vice-presidency
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a horse that pairs another in a team
Etymology
Origin of running mate
An Americanism dating back to 1865–70
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.
Mark Moran, a former investment banker, said he got the early inside track on who Trump would choose as his running mate over dinner at L’Annexe, a swanky Georgetown cocktail bar.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
Doncic needs his running mate to compensate for his questionable defensive skills, and Reaves has yet to do that.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
Kennedy’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, had made a stop at Raw Farm during his presidential campaign, creating multiple videos featuring McAfee.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
Flavio's press advisor said he would seek a woman running mate, possibly from the poor northeast -- Lula's stronghold.
From Barron's ● Mar. 11, 2026
John McCain had done himself no favors by choosing Alaska’s governor, Sarah Palin, as his running mate.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
