runaround

American  

[ruhn-uh-round] / ˈrʌn əˌraʊnd /

noun

1. indecisive or evasive treatment, especially in response to a request.

   Ask for a raise and he'll give you the runaround.

   Synonyms:

   slip, evasion, dodge

2. Printing. an arrangement of type in which several lines are set in narrower measure than the others in a column to accommodate an illustration, initial, or the like.

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runaround Idioms  

1. see get the runaround.

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Etymology

Origin of runaround

1870–75, noun use of verb phrase run around

Example Sentences

Drivers who request an appeal are either automatically denied or given the runaround without being offered an actual appeals process, Liss-Riordan said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

Emails to Saks asking about owed payments often went unanswered or were met with a runaround, said Emiliano Shnitzer-Bartocci, vice president of CTE Watch Co., which distributes Timex watches and Ray-Ban sunglasses among other accessories.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

Can this show keep people invested in this runaround for two more seasons?

From Salon • Feb. 14, 2025

I got in touch with Booking and spoke with several agents about getting a refund, but they gave me the runaround, continually insisting on more documentation.

From New York Times • Feb. 22, 2024

For some unknown reason, the authorities kept on giving him the runaround, telling him to bring this and that document, this and that certificate.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane