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
-
a small car, esp one for use in a town
-
a light aircraft
-
a light motorboat
-
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
A very small one, designed as a cheap city runabout – but it could have huge significance.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2025
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
But of course, as anyone who has been on even a small runabout knows, boats break all the time.
From New York Times ● Feb. 13, 2015
The stable hands, despairing of getting help to the track fast enough, fetched the only transportation on hand, a little runabout truck that the track starter used to motor around the course.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
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.
