ran

variants also chiefly dialectal run
Definition of rannext
past tense of run
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3
as in led
to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction the road runs along the river for a while

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in ranged
to occur within a continuous range of variation the electric bill runs between 30 and 50 dollars a month

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7
as in leaned
to show a liking or proneness (for something) unfortunately, members of his family run to fatness

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

8
as in drove
to urge, push, or force onward they ran the horses hard in order to get to the ranch quickly

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9
as in operated
to control the mechanical operation of I know how to run that machine

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10
as in became
to eventually have as a state or quality the poor woman ran herself ragged trying to care for all those children

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in cost
to have a price of that sort of computer runs at least several hundred dollars

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ran Junior quarterback Aaron McCormack, who is the coach’s son and ran for a touchdown and threw a touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Justin Slaven, is among the teammates who quickly came to appreciate Harris’ talents. Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026 The business advocacy group that ran the campaign also denied that AI was used. Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 Sebold’s was the third such attack in Thornden Park, which runs alongside the campus, in about seven months. Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 28 Aug. 2026 Walker runs the Species-from-Feces project, an initiative that invites the public to submit samples of bat guano from around the world to learn more about their bat neighbors. Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026 The number of food recalls classified by the Food and Drug Administration through August this year is running below historical levels. Dian Zhang, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 Payne and Denman are both capable of being high-level running backs this year, and the elements could make this the type of game where TCU has to run the ball over 30 times. Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026 The Sussexes, who moved to California six years ago, will retain their homes in Montecito and Portugal, and the Duchess will continue to run her lifestyle brand, As Ever, from the UK. The Week Uk, TheWeek, 28 Aug. 2026 The logo was designed by Justin Wieners with Hot Dog Designs, whose family runs Monstera’s Books in Overland Park. Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ran
Verb
  • The next day, Magglio Ordóñez trotted right by him on his way around the bases after his pennant-clinching home run.
    Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The big buck had trotted by Van Lith’s stand only 12 yards away as the hunter was climbing down.
    Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Lake Washington is a 200-foot-deep trough carved by glaciers that retreated 16,000 years ago.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Galliano retreated from public life for two years and was found guilty by a Paris court of public insults based on religion, race and ethnicity.
    Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Its foray into dealmaking has led many in media to wonder if Netflix could be on the hunt for another opportunity.
    Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Mladic first led a Serb insurgency in Croatia before taking over the Bosnian Serb army that was backed by Serbia and then-President Slobodan Milosevic, who also died in the custody of the Hague court in 2006 while on trial for genocide.
    Jovana Gec, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Decoys ranged from something big like an unsecured load, to easy-to-overlook details like a crack in the passenger side frame, a wiper blade missing, or a loose lug nut.
    Alice Barlow, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The temperatures in Santa Barbara during the week Mireles was reported missing ranged from 79 to 81 degrees.
    Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The world went in, and pliant, playful interpretations flowed out.
    Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The result was a slurry of melting ice, rock and water that quickly flowed into the river.
    Umesh Haritashya, The Conversation, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Barrichello competed as an F1 driver for 19 seasons and has also raced as an IndyCar and stock car driver.
    Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Drivers who raced in Sunday's Freedom 250 Grand Prix praised everything from the challenging street course to the one-of-a-kind setting surrounding it.
    Mike Stunson, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The record leaned into self-reflection and self-preservation informed by a divorce, his introduction to fatherhood, and an exploration of his Mexican roots through his signature alternative R&B sound.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026
  • My last submission was a speculative story that leaned more horror, which is a new style for me.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In the 1970s, Khouri, who went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Thelma & Louise, drove past the Tudor-style house almost every day.
    Caroline Randall Williams, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The next day, David drove back to Altadena while Lauren took the girls to Target to buy toothbrushes and underwear.
    Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ran.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ran. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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