in the running
Idioms-
Entered as a competitor in a contest. For example, Is Mary in the running for this election? The antonym, out of the running , means “not entered as a competitor,” as in Ian is out of the running for the job now that he's living in another state . [Mid-1800s]
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Having a chance to win, as in Mary's still in the running for the promotion . Again, out of the running means the opposite, as in He's too old—he's out of the running . [Mid-1800s] Both usages allude to the entry and chances of a horse in a race.
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.
He also suggested Bellingham should be one of the players in the running for the Ballon d'Or.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
The South Korean megastars were widely tipped in the running for several of the Grammys' top honours, including Album of the Year, after their comeback album, ARIRANG, became one of this year's best-selling hits.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
The image of the beached horse first lodged in Nolan’s mind over 20 years ago when he was in the running to direct a movie based on another Homeric epic, “The Iliad.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Now Tennessee wants to be in the running as a prime destination as well.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
Now there’s footage of Rosa in the running wheelchair as I push her down the block.
From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen
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.
