outrun

American

[out-ruhn] / ˌaʊtˈrʌn /

verb (used with object)

outran, outrun, outrunning

to run faster or farther than.
to escape by or as if by running.

They managed to outrun the police.
to exceed; excel; surpass.

outrun British

/ ˌaʊtˈrʌn /

verb

to run faster, farther, or better than
to escape from by or as if by running
to go beyond; exceed

"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

Etymology

Origin of outrun

First recorded in 1520–30; out + run

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.

Injuries and disciplinary issues continue to be a problem, while Rosenior has blamed the club's workload for a statistic that shows Chelsea have been outrun by every team this campaign.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

There is also the well‑publicised statistic that Chelsea have been outrun by every Premier League opponent in every match this season.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

The film's final sequence sees Bob desperately searching for his daughter as she tries to outrun Lockjaw in the desert.

From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026

Conflagrations abound—in one, a pair of rabbits anxiously scamper across a road to outrun the flames.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

Instead, it was realizing that, maybe, after years and years of trying, he’d finally outrun DNA and come out on the other side.

From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023