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Synonyms

run after

British  

verb

  1. to pursue (a member of the opposite sex) with persistent attention

  2. to pursue (anything) persistently

  3. to care for in an excessively attentive or servile way

    she runs after her three grown sons as if they were babies
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
run after Idioms  

  1. Also, chase after.

  2. Follow, pursue with haste, as in Our dog loves to run after the mail truck , or The children were chasing after the geese in the park . [c. 1300]

  3. Seek the company or attention of, especially aggressively. For example, He's run after her for a year, but she just ignores him . [Early 1500s]

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.

The analogy he uses is of little kids playing soccer: They tend to all run after the ball and not stick to their positions.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 9, 2026

Kennedy limited his opportunities by controlling the clock with one run after another.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 7, 2025

The visitors stunned India in a low-scoring first Test at Kolkata's Eden Gardens to extend their fine run after being crowned World Test champions in June.

From Barron's • Nov. 20, 2025

But Stephen Jones, deputy Utah County attorney, argued that it should run after the sentence imposed in Salt Lake City.

From BBC • Nov. 4, 2025

And I force my aching body to run after him.

From "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi

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.