run-on

American  

[ruhn-on, -awn] / ˈrʌnˌɒn, -ˌɔn /

adjective

1. of or designating something that is added or run on.

   a run-on entry in a dictionary.

2. Prosody. (of a line of verse) having a thought that carries over to the next line, especially without a syntactical break.

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noun

1. run-on matter.

2. Automotive. after-run.

run on British  

verb

1. (intr) to continue without interruption

2. to write with linked-up characters

3. printing to compose text matter without indentation or paragraphing

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noun

1. printing

   1. text matter composed without indenting

   2. ( as modifier )

      run-on text matter

2. 1. a word added at the end of a dictionary entry whose meaning can be easily inferred from the definition of the headword

   2. ( as modifier )

      a run-on entry

run on Idioms  

1. Keep going, continue; also, remain in effect. For example, That murder trial has been running on for months , or How much longer can this debt be allowed to run on? [Late 1500s]

2. Talk at length; see go on , def. 5.

3. Continue a text without a break; see run in , def. 2.

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Etymology

Origin of run-on

First recorded in 1900–05; adj., noun use of verb phrase run on

Example Sentences

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

Roberts, Gorsuch, and Barrett’s questioning of Katyal was far friendlier than their grilling of Sauer, who spoke in a frothy jumble of run-on sentences that was often hard to understand.

From Slate • Nov. 5, 2025

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

These suggest a heightened attention to potential hazards, but they also evoke the joyous run-on reels of avant-garde diarists like the filmmaker Jonas Mekas.

From New York Times • Sep. 29, 2022

She gave me an A on the written report, saying she liked my tongue-in-cheek approach to criticism, but warned me to clean up the language and watch my run-on sentences.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

Related Words

• advance
• carry on
• carry over
• endure
• extend
• go on
• last
• linger
• maintain
• persist
• progress
• promote
• pursue
• reach
• remain
• stay
• survive
• sustain