runaround

American  

[ruhn-uh-raund] / 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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

runaround

"The bull didn't seem angry or aggressive in any way - just happy to be free to give its owners the runaround."

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

The agency says you can call the Treasury Department’s Electronic Payment Solution Center, but if you’re getting the runaround, going to an office in person is likely your best bet.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026

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

She says every effort thereafter to straighten things out met the runaround.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2025

I didn’t have time for all her runaround talk, and I was surprised that she cared so little.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

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