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.
Here’s what you need to know about the 12 candidates in the running.
From Slate ● Jul. 16, 2026
"Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
But these achievements don’t suggest that India is remotely in the running when it comes to frontier AI models.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
Samuel, who was in the running to debut with the group, is even captured in early footage from their “Seventeen TV” variety show.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
Below him were eleven male deacons who helped in the running of the church.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
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.
