run-on
adjective
of or designating something that is added or run on.
run-on
American
[ruhn-on, -awn]
/ ˈrʌnˌɒn, -ˌɔn /
adjective
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of or designating something that is added or run on.
a run-on entry in a dictionary.
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Prosody. (of a line of verse) having a thought that carries over to the next line, especially without a syntactical break.
noun
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run-on matter.
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Automotive. after-run.
run on
British
verb
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(intr) to continue without interruption
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to write with linked-up characters
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printing to compose text matter without indentation or paragraphing
noun
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printing
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text matter composed without indenting
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( as modifier )
run-on text matter
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a word added at the end of a dictionary entry whose meaning can be easily inferred from the definition of the headword
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( as modifier )
a run-on entry
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Etymology
Origin of run-on
First recorded in 1900–05; adj., noun use of verb phrase run on
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.
See Examples For:
Marcy eliminates em dashes and sometimes swaps in sentences of his own, even though he knows he tends toward the run-on variety.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026
England coach Steve Borthwick has responded to the Scotland loss by making three personnel changes to his run-on side, with Henry Pollock given a first Test start after seven appearances as a replacement.
From Barron's ● Feb. 18, 2026
But if the above resembles a run-on sentence, here’s the reason: the Seattle Storm Center for Basketball Performance defies easy description.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 18, 2024
“Hurricane Season” is constructed of run-on stories, thick with rumor, about the witch at its center; “Paradais” features a supposedly haunted house that serves as a sin eater for its characters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 4, 2023
She wished she could hear Immie’s low laugh and her run-on sentences spilling out secrets.
From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart
They run on infrastructure that those people own.
From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026
Unless the family settles, the legal battles could run on for years—the Delaware case is over but litigation in New York continues, both in a trial court and Surrogate’s court.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
Saggese delivering the go-ahead run on an infield single.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
“Every enterprise will run on AI, and securing it is the largest market opportunity in our history,” Kurtz added.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026
Karl was out for a run on Hillegass Avenue, a residential street close to the border between Oakland and Berkeley.
From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater
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.
