on the run
Idioms-
In rapid retreat; also, attempting to escape from pursuers. For example, The guerrillas were on the run after the ambush , or The burglars were on the run from the police . [Early 1800s]
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Hurrying from place to place, as in The company officers were always on the run from New York to Los Angeles and back . [Late 1800s]
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.
Sinner continued to move through the gears after Djokovic rescued the first break point of the match, hitting with immense power and laser-like precision to get his opponent on the run.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
In the film, Josh O’Connor plays Daniel, a whistleblower in possession of valuable files, who is on the run from a powerful company hired by the U.S. to research alien visitation and technology.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
In 1607, a fugitive painter named Caravaggio arrived in Malta on the run from a murder warrant in Rome.
From Slate ● Jun. 6, 2026
After he was arrested, the Crumbleys went on the run and were caught only after an extensive manhunt.
From Salon ● May 22, 2026
I had been on the run for days and my mind felt as weak as my legs.
From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys
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.
