run around

British  

verb

1. (often foll by with) to associate habitually (with)

2. to behave in a fickle or promiscuous manner

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noun

1. informal deceitful or evasive treatment of a person (esp in the phrase give or get the run-around )

2. printing an arrangement of printed matter in which the column width is narrowed to accommodate an illustration

run around Idioms  

1. Go about hurriedly here and there, as in I have been running around all day so I want to stay home tonight and relax . [Early 1900s]

2. Also, run around with . Associate or consort with socially, as in At college she began to run around with a very liberal group . [Late 1800s]

3. Be sexually unfaithful, as in She caught him running around just once too often and finally sued for divorce . [Early 1900s]

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Example Sentences

Friday's stage five is a 166km run around Dubai and should also result in a bunch sprint.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

Concentration camp systems are always an end run around the existing legal system in a country at a given time.

From Slate • Feb. 17, 2026

"Travelling abroad plus the costs involved to run around a bit and get out of breath is a stretch for me," said one former participant on Reddit.

From BBC • Jan. 25, 2026

Faced with an angry monkey, these kids can’t think of much else to do other than run around hunting for their smartphones.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2026

“Chicho, I want to be an artist, but I also want to be a normal girl. I want to run around and play and go to the bathroom by myself.”

From "Lucky Broken Girl" by Ruth Behar