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.
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
Neither side was able to score a run after the third inning, and both sides stranded multiple baserunners as the Dodgers held on for victory.
From BBC • Oct. 31, 2025
He had never seen himself run, after all.
From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway
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.
