Run on — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb

Meaning & Definition of Run on

Run on (verb)

  1. to talk or narrate at length
  2. to keep going, continue
  3. to continue (matter in type) without a break or a new paragraph, run in

Run on (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to engage in casual or rambling conversation

    "we were just running on about how neither of us has aged a bit after all these years"

    similar: babble, blab, cackle, chaffer (British), chat, chatter, chin (slang), converse, gab, gabble, gas, jabber, jaw, kibitz, natter, palaver, patter, prate, prattle, rap, rattle, schmooze, talk, twitter, visit, blow smoke, chew the fat, shoot the breeze, talk a blue streak
    related: gossip, tattle, descant, discuss, expatiate, yak, yammer, yap

  2. to remain indefinitely in existence or in the same state

    "allow the savings account to run on for now"

    similar: abide, bide, continue, endure, hold on, hold up, keep up, last, perdure, persist, remain
    related: linger, stay, stick around, tarry, carry through, prevail, survive
    opposite: cease, close, conclude, desist, die, discontinue, end, expire, finish, lapse, leave off, pass, quit, stop, terminate, wind up
    near: abate, die (down), ebb, let up, moderate, subside, wane

  3. to talk at length without sticking to a topic or getting to a point

    "she's very sweet, but she does tend to run on"

    similar: blather (on), go on, maunder, ramble, rattle, run one's mouth
    related: deviate, digress, stray, wander, sidetrack, blab, blabber, blither, bumble, burble, chat, chatter, drivel, drool, gab, gabble, gibber, jabber, patter, prate, prattle, waffle

Related Entry: Run (verb)

Run is a different word from Run on. The synonyms below are for run, not for run on.

  1. to go at a pace faster than a walk

    "we ran all the way to the bus stop, but still missed the bus"

    similar: dash, gallop, jog, scamper, sprint, trip, trot
    related: bound, canter, leap, lope, shag, skip, spring, barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb (slang), bowl, breeze, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, course, foot (it), hare, hasten, hie, hoof (it), hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurry, hurtle, hustle, jet, leg (it), pelt, race, ram, rip, rocket, rush, rustle, shoot, speed, tear, whirl, whisk, zip, zoom, nip, patter, scoot, scurry, scuttle, step (along)
    near: amble, saunter, shamble, shuffle, stroll, crawl, creep, dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry, lumber, plod, trudge, hobble, limp

  2. to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening

    "rather than run from a black bear, it's better to hold your ground and make lots of noise"

    similar: bolt, break, bug out, flee, fly, hightail (it), retreat, run away, run off, skedaddle, beat a retreat, beat it, make tracks, turn tail
    related: abscond, clear out, decamp, elope, escape, get (away), get out, lam, light out, make off, mizzle (chiefly British), scarper (British), scat, scram, skip (out), skirr
    near: beard, brave, confront, dare, defy, face, abide, dwell, hang around, linger, remain, stay, stick around, tarry

  3. to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction

    "the road runs along the river for a while"

    similar: bear, extend, go, head, lead, lie
    related: cross, cut, pass, course, follow, span, traverse

  4. to occur within a continuous range of variation

    "the electric bill runs between 30 and 50 dollars a month"

    similar: go, range, vary
    related: alternate, fluctuate, move, shift, change, mutate, extend, reach, stretch, sweep

  5. to move in a stream

    "water running down the window"

    similar: flow, pour, roll, stream
    related: arise, disembogue, effuse, emanate, issue, spring, course, race, rush, fountain, gush, spout, spurt, deluge, engulf, flood, inundate, overflow, overrun, swamp, cascade, dribble, drip, gutter, riffle, ripple, sheet, trickle, flush, wash out
    opposite: back up
    near: clot, coagulate, congeal, gel, harden, set

  6. to proceed or move quickly

    "run and get the nurse"

    similar: barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb (slang), bowl, breeze, bundle, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course, crack (on), dash, drive, fly, hare, hasten, hie, highball, hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurry, hurtle, hustle, jet, jump, motor, nip, pelt, race, ram, rip, rocket, rush, rustle, scoot, scurry, scuttle, shoot, speed, step, tear, travel, trot, whirl, whisk, zip, zoom, beat it, get a move on, make tracks, shake a leg, step on it
    related: beetle, dart, flit, scamper, scud, scuffle, stampede, streak, whiz, gallop, jog, sprint, accelerate, quicken, step out, catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake, arrow, beeline
    opposite: crawl, creep, poke
    near: dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry, amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll, decelerate, slow (down or up)

  7. to show a liking or proneness (for something)

    "unfortunately, members of his family run to fatness"

    similar: incline, lean, tend, trend
    related: go, gravitate, indicate, point, suggest
    near: avoid, shun, shy (from or away from)

  8. to urge, push, or force onward

    "they ran the horses hard in order to get to the ranch quickly"

    similar: drive, herd, punch
    related: shepherd, wrangle, egg, exhort, flog, goad, hound, press, prick, prod, prompt, scourge, spur, whip

  9. to control the mechanical operation of

    "I know how to run that machine"

    similar: handle, operate, work
    related: use, maneuver, manipulate, ply, wield, command, control, direct, drive, guide, pilot, steer

  10. to eventually have as a state or quality

    "the poor woman ran herself ragged trying to care for all those children"

    similar: become, come, get, go, grow, turn, wax
    related: alter, change, metamorphose, modify, mutate, transfigure, transform, transmute
    near: abide, be, continue, linger, remain, stay

  11. to go from a solid to a liquid state

    "her makeup started to run when she got in the pool"

    similar: deliquesce, flux, fuse, liquefy, melt, thaw
    related: found, gutter, smelt, try, dissolve, render, soften, thin
    opposite: harden, set, solidify
    near: clot, coagulate, congeal, gel, jell, jelly, thicken

  12. to look after and make decisions about

    "learning to run the family business"

    similar: administer, administrate, carry on, conduct, control, direct, govern, guide, handle, keep, manage, operate, overlook, oversee, preside (over), regulate, steward, superintend, supervise, tend, watch over
    related: care (for), mind, watch, lead, pilot, steer, guard, protect, safeguard, micromanage, stage-manage, codirect, comanage

  13. to cause to function

    "in olden days mills were run by flowing water"

    similar: activate, actuate, crank (up), drive, move, set off, spark, start, touch off, trigger, turn on
    related: kick over, turn over, charge, electrify, energize, fire, fuel, generate, power, push, discharge, launch, release, switch, trip, reactivate, recharge, arouse, excite, jump-start, kick-start, stimulate, vitalize, ignite, incite, instigate, provoke, quicken, stir up, accelerate, catalyze, speed (up), step up
    opposite: cut, cut out, deactivate, kill, shut off, turn off
    near: arrest, brake, check, cut off, draw up, halt, jam, stall, stick, stop, decelerate, repress, slow, stunt, suppress

  14. to have a price of

    "that sort of computer runs at least several hundred dollars"

    similar: bring, cost, fetch, go (for), sell (for)
    related: list (for), amount (to), come (to), total, command, exact, ask, demand

  15. to come or be together as friends

    "he's been running with a bad crowd lately"

    similar: associate, chum, company, consociate, consort, fraternize, hang (around or out), hobnob, hook up, mess around, pal (around), sort, travel, be friends with, fall in with, keep company (with), rub elbows (with), take up with
    related: affiliate, ally, attach, band, bond, club, collaborate, collude, confederate, conjoin, connect, cooperate, couple, gang, get along, get on, group, interrelate, join, knot, league, link, mingle, mix, rally, relate, side, socialize, team, tie, wed, befriend, friend
    near: avoid, cold-shoulder, shun, snub, alienate, estrange, break up, disband, disperse, split (up), disjoin, dissociate, disunite, divorce, sever, split, sunder

  16. to go after or on the track of

    "if that dog continues to run cars, he's going to get seriously hurt"

    similar: bird-dog, chase, course, dog, follow, hound, pursue, shadow, tag, tail, trace, track, trail, run after
    related: accompany, chaperone, escort, hunt, search (for), seek, eye, observe, watch
    opposite: guide, lead, pilot
    near: head

Related Entry: Run (over) (verb)

Run (over) is a different word from Run on. The synonyms below are for run (over), not for run on.

  1. to make a brief visit

    "I could run over right now if that's good for you"

    similar: call, come by, come over, drop by, drop in, pop (in), run in, step in, stop (by or in), visit
    related: barge (in), look up, see, bop (into), happen (by), frequent, hang (at), haunt, resort (to)

Related Entry: Ran (verb)

Ran is a different word from Run on. The synonyms below are for ran, not for run on.

  1. to go at a pace faster than a walk

    "we ran all the way to the bus stop, but still missed the bus"

    similar: dashed, galloped, jogged, scampered, sprinted, tripped, trotted
    related: bounded, cantered, leaped, loped, shagged, skipped, sprang, barreled, belted, blasted, blazed, blew, bolted, bombed (slang), bowled, breezed, bustled, buzzed, cannonballed, careened, coursed, footed (it), hared, hastened, hied, hoofed (it), hotfooted (it), humped, hurled, hurried, hurtled, hustled, jetted, legged (it), pelted, raced, rammed, ripped, rocketed, rushed, rustled, shot, sped, tore, whirled, whisked, zipped, zoomed, nipped, pattered, scooted, scurried, scuttled, stepped (along)
    near: ambled, sauntered, shambled, shuffled, strolled, crawled, crept, dallied, dawdled, dillydallied, dragged, lagged, lingered, loitered, poked, tarried, lumbered, plodded, trudged, hobbled, limped

  2. to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening

    "rather than run from a black bear, it's better to hold your ground and make lots of noise"

    similar: bolted, broke, bugged out, fled, flew, hightailed (it), ran away, ran off, retreated, skedaddled, beat a retreat, beat it, made tracks, turned tail
    related: absconded, cleared out, decamped, eloped, escaped, got (away), got out, lammed, lit, made off, mizzled (chiefly British), scarpered (British), scatted, scrammed, skipped (out), skirred
    near: bearded, braved, confronted, dared, defied, faced, abided, dwelled, hung around, lingered, remained, stayed, stuck around, tarried

  3. to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction

    "the road runs along the river for a while"

    similar: bore, extended, headed, lay, led, went
    related: crossed, cut, passed, coursed, followed, spanned, traversed

  4. to occur within a continuous range of variation

    "the electric bill runs between 30 and 50 dollars a month"

    similar: ranged, varied, went
    related: alternated, fluctuated, moved, shifted, changed, mutated, extended, reached, stretched, swept

  5. to move in a stream

    "water running down the window"

    similar: flowed, poured, rolled, streamed
    related: arose, disembogued, effused, emanated, issued, sprang, coursed, raced, rushed, fountained, gushed, spouted, spurted, deluged, engulfed, flooded, inundated, overflowed, overran, swamped, cascaded, dribbled, dripped, guttered, riffled, rippled, sheeted, trickled, flushed, washed out
    opposite: backed up
    near: clotted, coagulated, congealed, gelled, hardened, set

  6. to proceed or move quickly

    "run and get the nurse"

    similar: barreled, belted, blasted, blazed, blew, bolted, bombed (slang), bowled, breezed, bundled, bustled, buzzed, cannonballed, careened, careered, chased, coursed, cracked (on), dashed, drove, flew, hared, hastened, hied, highballed, hotfooted (it), humped, hurled, hurried, hurtled, hustled, jetted, jumped, motored, nipped, pelted, raced, rammed, ripped, rocketed, rushed, rustled, scooted, scurried, scuttled, shot, sped, stepped, tore, traveled, trotted, whirled, whisked, zipped, zoomed, beat it, got a move on, made tracks, shook a leg, stepped on it
    related: beetled, darted, flitted, scampered, scudded, scuffled, stampeded, streaked, whizzed, galloped, jogged, sprinted, accelerated, quickened, stepped out, caught up, fast-forwarded, outpaced, outran, outstripped, overtook, arrowed, beelined
    opposite: crawled, crept, poked
    near: dallied, dawdled, dillydallied, dragged, hung (around or out), lagged, lingered, loitered, poked, tarried, ambled, lumbered, plodded, sauntered, shuffled, strolled, decelerated, slowed (down or up)

  7. to show a liking or proneness (for something)

    "unfortunately, members of his family run to fatness"

    similar: inclined, leaned, tended, trended
    related: gravitated, went, indicated, pointed, suggested
    near: avoided, shied (from or away from), shunned

  8. to urge, push, or force onward

    "they ran the horses hard in order to get to the ranch quickly"

    similar: drove, herded, punched
    related: shepherded, wrangled, egged, exhorted, flogged, goaded, hounded, pressed, pricked, prodded, prompted, scourged, spurred, whipped

  9. to control the mechanical operation of

    "I know how to run that machine"

    similar: handled, operated, worked
    related: used, maneuvered, manipulated, plied, wielded, commanded, controlled, directed, drove, guided, piloted, steered

  10. to eventually have as a state or quality

    "the poor woman ran herself ragged trying to care for all those children"

    similar: became, came, got, grew, turned, waxed, went
    related: altered, changed, metamorphosed, modified, mutated, transfigured, transformed, transmuted
    near: abided, continued, lingered, remained, stayed, was

  11. to go from a solid to a liquid state

    "her makeup started to run when she got in the pool"

    similar: deliquesced, fluxed, fused, liquefied, melted, thawed
    related: founded, guttered, smelted, tried, dissolved, rendered, softened, thinned
    opposite: hardened, set, solidified
    near: clotted, coagulated, congealed, gelled, jelled, jellied, thickened

  12. to look after and make decisions about

    "learning to run the family business"

    similar: administered, administrated, carried on, conducted, controlled, directed, governed, guided, handled, kept, managed, operated, overlooked, oversaw, presided (over), regulated, stewarded, superintended, supervised, tended, watched over
    related: cared (for), minded, watched, led, piloted, steered, guarded, protected, safeguarded, micromanaged, stage-managed, codirected, comanaged

  13. to cause to function

    "in olden days mills were run by flowing water"

    similar: activated, actuated, cranked (up), drove, moved, set off, sparked, started, touched off, triggered, turned on
    related: kicked over, turned over, charged, electrified, energized, fired, fueled, generated, powered, pushed, discharged, launched, released, switched, tripped, reactivated, recharged, aroused, excited, jump-started, kick-started, stimulated, vitalized, ignited, incited, instigated, provoked, quickened, stirred up, accelerated, catalyzed, sped (up), stepped up
    opposite: cut, cut out, deactivated, killed, shut off, turned off
    near: arrested, braked, checked, cut off, drew up, halted, jammed, stalled, stopped, stuck, decelerated, repressed, slowed, stunted, suppressed

  14. to have a price of

    "that sort of computer runs at least several hundred dollars"

    similar: brought, cost, fetched, sold (for), went (for)
    related: listed (for), amounted (to), came (to), totaled, commanded, exacted, asked, demanded

  15. to come or be together as friends

    "he's been running with a bad crowd lately"

    similar: associated, chummed, companied, consociated, consorted, fraternized, hobnobbed, hooked up, hung (around or out), messed around, palled (around), sorted, traveled, fell in with, kept company (with), rubbed elbows (with), took up with, was friends with
    related: affiliated, allied, attached, banded, bonded, clubbed, collaborated, colluded, confederated, conjoined, connected, cooperated, coupled, ganged, got along, got on, grouped, interrelated, joined, knotted, leagued, linked, mingled, mixed, rallied, related, sided, socialized, teamed, tied, wedded, befriended, friended
    near: avoided, cold-shouldered, shunned, snubbed, alienated, estranged, broke up, disbanded, dispersed, split (up), disjoined, dissociated, disunited, divorced, severed, split, sundered

  16. to go after or on the track of

    "if that dog continues to run cars, he's going to get seriously hurt"

    similar: bird-dogged, chased, coursed, dogged, followed, hounded, pursued, shadowed, tagged, tailed, traced, tracked, trailed, ran after
    related: accompanied, chaperoned, escorted, hunted, searched (for), sought, eyed, observed, watched
    opposite: guided, led, piloted
    near: headed

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Run on

The most common words with a similar meaning to Run on:

British: chaffer
Slang: chin
babble, blab, cackle, chat, chatter, converse, gab, gabble, gas, jabber, jaw, kibitz, natter, palaver, patter, prate, prattle, rap, rattle, schmooze, talk, twitter, visit, abide, bide, continue, endure, hold on, hold up, keep up, last, perdure, persist, remain, blather (on), go on, maunder, ramble, blow smoke, chew the fat

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Run on

Words with the opposite meaning of Run on:

cease, close, conclude, desist, die, discontinue, end, expire, finish, lapse, leave off, pass, quit, stop, terminate, wind up

Related Words for Run on

gossip, tattle, descant, discuss, expatiate, yak, yammer, yap, linger, stay, stick around, tarry, carry through, prevail, survive, deviate, digress, stray, wander, sidetrack, blabber, blither, bumble, burble, drivel, drool, gibber, waffle

Near Antonyms of Run on

abate, die (down), ebb, let up, moderate, subside, wane

Word Forms of Run on

Inflections: ran on, running on, runs on

Origin & Etymology of Run on

First known use: 15th centuryi

Words & Phrases Containing Run on

run on the bank

Frequently Asked Questions about Run on

What does "Run on" mean?

"Run on" means to talk or narrate at length. As a verb, it is defined as: to talk or narrate at length. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Run on"?

Other words for "Run on" include babble, blab, cackle, chaffer, chat, chatter, chin and converse. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Run on" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Run on"?

There are 73 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Run on". Common alternatives include babble, blab, cackle, chaffer, chat, chatter, chin, converse, gab and gabble.

What is the opposite of "Run on"?

Antonyms of "Run on" include cease, close, conclude, desist, die, discontinue, end and expire. Near antonyms include abate, die (down), ebb and let up.

How do you use "Run on" in a sentence?

Examples of "Run on" in a sentence: "we were just running on about how neither of us has aged a bit after all these years"; "allow the savings account to run on for now"; "she's very sweet, but she does tend to run on".

Is "Run on" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Run on" is a verb.

What is the origin of the word "Run on"?

First known use: 15th centuryi.

What is another word for "Run on" meaning "to engage in casual or rambling conversation"?

When "Run on" (verb) means to engage in casual or rambling conversation, synonyms include babble, blab, cackle, chaffer, chat and chatter.