runabout
Americannoun
-
a small, light automobile or other vehicle, usually with an open top; roadster.
-
a small pleasure motorboat.
-
a person who roves around from place to place or group to group.
noun
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a small car, esp one for use in a town
-
a light aircraft
-
a light motorboat
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a person who moves about constantly or busily
verb
Etymology
Origin of runabout
First recorded in 1540–50; noun use of verb phrase run about
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.
To see how effective the Topolino is as a runabout in lower-speed U.S. cities, I tested a rope-for-doors variant over several days in my hometown of Ann Arbor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
But its appearance pays very obvious tribute to the original Renault 5 - a boxy but cheap runabout beloved by cost-conscious families in the 1970s and 80s.
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2024
The San Juans are lovely, but have you tried going south instead of north with your sailboat, runabout or kayak?
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 6, 2017
It’s probably the coolest two-wheeled runabout you can buy: it’s electric, looks unlike anything else on the market, and incorporates a host of legitimately unique features.
From The Verge ● Jan. 5, 2015
Two weeks after the quake, a day’s rental of a horse and buggy cost $5; a two-seated runabout cost $100 a day.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
