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.
Norwegian family drama "Sentimental Value" -- which won the second prize, Grand Prix -- and Brazilian thriller "The Secret Agent" are both in the running for best picture.
From Barron's
Norwegian-born Brazilian Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, as well as former teammates Henrik Kristoffersen and Atle Lie McGrath of Norway, should also be in the running for a push at a podium finish.
From Barron's
Ranked 157 and 158 in the World Cup respectively, Han and Lee were not expected to be in the running for medals at the Milan-Cortina Games.
From BBC
Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid had serious interest in signing him on a free transfer at the end of the season, while Real Madrid and Barcelona were also in the running.
From BBC
The initial investigation was based on one-to-one interviews with 64 current and former members of staff, as well as 10 senior leaders who had been involved in the running of the department.
From BBC
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.
