runaway

[ ruhn-uh-wey ]

/ ˈrʌn əˌweɪ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR runaway ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person who runs away; fugitive; deserter.

a horse or team that has broken away from control.

the act of running away.

a decisive or easy victory.

a young person, especially a teenager, who has run away from home.

adjective

having run away; escaped; fugitive.

(of a horse or other animal) having escaped from the control of the rider or driver.

pertaining to or accomplished by running away or eloping: a runaway marriage.

easily won, as a contest: a runaway victory at the polls.

unchecked; rampant: runaway prices.

Informal. deserting or revolting against one's group, duties, expected conduct, or the like, especially to establish or join a rival group, change one's life drastically, etc.: The runaway delegates nominated their own candidate.

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Origin of runaway

First recorded in 1505–15; noun, adj. use of verb phrase run away

SYNONYMS FOR runaway

9 absolute, complete, perfect.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR runaway ON THESAURUS.COM

Words nearby runaway

run around in circles, run around like a chicken, run around with, run a temperature, run a tight ship, runaway, runaway star, run away with, runback, run batted in, run by someone

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for runaway

In other words, runaway defense spending is a bipartisan problem.
Merry Christmas, Defense Contractors!|Veronique de Rugy|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But the runaway best example of the game is another cluster of British luxury vehicles—Range Rover, Land Rover and Jaguar.
Nationalism on Four Wheels|Clive Irving|October 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Runaway corporations benefited from those policies but want U.S. companies to pay their share of the tab.
The Democrats Have Found a New Boogeyman, and It’s Burger King|Tim Mak|August 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Godzilla and X-Men: Days of Future Past both did well at the box office, but neither were runaway success stories.
Is the Summer Blockbuster Dead?|Kevin Fallon|July 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Kelly Michaels became a mini-celebrity on release, a victim of runaway investigators.
How the ‘Witch Hunt’ Myth Undermined American Justice|Jason Berry|July 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If the man be truly a runaway, said Sir Walter, and of an able body, he will be right welcome; for we have but few labourers.
Hildebrand|Anonymous
This runaway marriage would be a dreadful dishonour to me, if it were followed by a life of lazy dependence on my wife's fortune.
John Marchmont's Legacy, Volumes I-III|Mary E. Braddon
Reason: an exasperated parent who had followed from Meru for the purpose of reclaiming his runaway offspring.
The Land of Footprints|Stewart Edward White
There has been an escape, and a sharp watch is held to keep the runaway in the town.
Blackwoods Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 59, No. 366, April, 1846|Various
On the up trip, the Governor's party met one man, who afterward proved to be a runaway thief from Detroit.
The Country of the Neutrals|James H. Coyne

British Dictionary definitions for runaway

run away

verb (intr, adverb)

to take flight; escape

to go away; depart

(of a horse) to gallop away uncontrollably

run away with

to abscond or elope withhe ran away with his boss's daughter
to make off with; steal
to escape from the control ofhis enthusiasm ran away with him
to win easily or be assured of victory in (a competition)he ran away with the race

noun runaway

a person or animal that runs away
(as modifier)a runaway horse

the act or an instance of running away

(modifier) occurring as a result of the act of elopinga runaway wedding

(modifier) (of a race, victory, etc) easily wona runaway ten-shot victory

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with runaway

run away

Flee, escape, as in Our dog is no watchdog; he runs away from strangers, or Our six-year-old said he'd run away from home. [Late 1300s]

Also, run off. Leave secretly, especially to elope, as in She ran away from home when she was only thirteen, or They ran off to Maryland and got married by a justice of the peace. [Early 1600s]

it won't run away. An object, activity, or issue will not disappear, as in You can leave, but when you come back the mess in the kitchen will still be there—it won't run away, you know! This jocular assurance of permanence dates from the late 1800s. Also see run away with.

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runaway