runabout

American  

[ruhn-uh-baut] / ˈrʌn əˌbaʊt /

noun

1. a small, light automobile or other vehicle, usually with an open top; roadster.

2. a small pleasure motorboat.

3. a person who roves around from place to place or group to group.

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runabout British  

/ ˈrʌnəˌbaʊt /

noun

1. a small car, esp one for use in a town

2. a light aircraft

3. a light motorboat

4. a person who moves about constantly or busily

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verb

1. (intr, adverb) to move busily from place to place

Etymology

Origin of runabout

First recorded in 1540–50; noun use of verb phrase run about

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

runabout

The new model, unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, is a small city runabout with retro styling which harks back to one of the company's most famous designs.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

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

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 consumers gave a wan embrace to the Scion iQ, a tiny runabout aimed at urban dwellers.

From New York Times ● Feb. 11, 2016

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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