running
noun · adjective · adverb
Simple meaning
The verb to run.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
ruhningSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈɹʌnɪŋ
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
The activity of running as a form of exercise, as a sport, or for any other reason.
The action of the verb to run.
That which runs or flows; the quantity of a liquid which flows in a certain time or during a certain operation.
colloquial
The act of running; traveling on foot at a fast pace
colloquial
The act of running errands.
colloquial
The act of participating in an athletic competition involving running on a track
adjective
Moving or advancing at a run.
Continuous; ongoing; keeping along step by step.
Having a continuous design or pattern.
Flowing; easy; cursive.
Of a horse, having a running gait; not a trotter or pacer.
Present, current.
adverb
informal
Consecutively; in a row.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Moving or advancing at a run.
Used this way, running is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use running
- “He has responsibility for the running of two companies at the same time.”noun
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
Someone who imports or exports without paying duties.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
The act of leaving (without permission) the place you are expected to be.
Any of several trailing blackberry brambles especially of North America.
A narrow footboard serving as a step beneath the doors of some old cars.
A play in which a player attempts to carry the ball through or past the opposing team.
Rapid handwriting in which letters are set down in full and are cursively connected within words without lifting the writing implement from the paper.
A heading printed at the top of every page (or every other page) of a book.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: activity of running as a form of exercise
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Keep learning “running” by choosing the kind of practice you need next.
- Practice sentence writingWrite sentences with vocabulary and get instant feedback.
- Practice in contextAnswer short vocabulary questions drawn from real situations.
- Review vocabularyTest your recall and strengthen words over time.
- Practice typingType vocabulary from meanings, examples and other prompts.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.