runny
Americanadjective
-
tending to flow; liquid
-
(of the nose or nasal passages) exuding mucus
Etymology
Origin of runny
Explanation
Anything runny is dripping or flowing like liquid. If you have a runny nose, you should probably stuff some tissues into your pocket (or just use your sleeve). Melting ice cream is runny, dripping from your cone down your arm, and an over-easy fried egg is cooked just enough so that the yolk is a little bit runny. A completely raw egg is obviously runny, and so is the nose of a person with a cold. If you're sniffling and sneezing, your nose is probably runny, or dripping with mucus.
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.
That finding established a lower limit for how "runny" liquids can be.
From Science Daily • May 8, 2026
One problem, though: Untreated rubber becomes brittle when exposed to cold, and tacky and runny when hot.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
Common symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose or red eyes, as well as a rash.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026
These children often have a cold or runny nose and a cough that worsens at night or early morning, recurring every few weeks.
From BBC • Oct. 7, 2025
Harry’s Swelling Solution was far too runny, but he had his mind on more important things.
From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling
Definitions 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.
