: having a tendency to run: such as
a
: extremely or excessively soft and liquid
a runny dough
b
: secreting a thin flow of mucus
a runny nose
Examples of runny in a Sentence
The scrambled eggs are runny.
The pudding is runnier than I like it.
a little boy with a runny nose
My eyes felt itchy and runny.
Recent Examples on the Web
Maria’s brothers, with their perpetual runny noses, are summoned with a sniffly wipe.
—
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Symptoms of measles include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes.
—Laura Turbay, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026
Symptoms begin within 14 days of exposure and may include a fever, runny nose, red or watery eyes, and a cough.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 12 Mar. 2026
Kratom can lead to addiction, and some signs of withdrawal could include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle/joint aches, restlessness, runny nose, excessive yawning, and hot or cold flashes.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for runny
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.
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Symptoms of measles include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes.
—Laura Turbay, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026
Symptoms begin within 14 days of exposure and may include a fever, runny nose, red or watery eyes, and a cough.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 12 Mar. 2026
Kratom can lead to addiction, and some signs of withdrawal could include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle/joint aches, restlessness, runny nose, excessive yawning, and hot or cold flashes.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for runny
Cite this Entry
“Runny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/runny. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
runny
adjective
run·ny
ˈrən-ē 
runnier; runniest
1
: too soft and liquid
the scrambled eggs are runny
2
: giving off a liquid
a runny nose
Medical Definition
runny
adjective
run·ny
ˈrən-ē
: secreting a thin flow of mucus
a runny nose
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
