run after
Britishverb
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to pursue (a member of the opposite sex) with persistent attention
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to pursue (anything) persistently
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to care for in an excessively attentive or servile way
she runs after her three grown sons as if they were babies
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Also, chase after.
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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]
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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.
He wanted to bring in someone like Rick Bowness, the veteran coach who in January led the Columbus Blue Jackets, then the worst team in the East, to a 19-3-4 run after taking over midseason.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
His downfall came quickly, however, following that run after losing three away games in a week – to Real Madrid, Lazio and Como.
From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026
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
He had gotten two blocks, an assist and a basket during the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, then the Lakers went on a 9-1 run after Davis went to the bench.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 29, 2025
"I'm chief," said Ralph, "because you chose me. And we were going to keep the fire going. Now you run after food-" "You ran yourself !" shouted Jack.
From "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding
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.
