1
as in to out
to drive or force out
the dog often ran off cats and other animals that had intruded upon his owner's property
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to escape
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
their rebellious daughter's run off because she was disciplined again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to retreat
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
the mouse ran off as soon as it saw us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fresh
Related Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of runoff
Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
This caused excess runoff change the Missouri River’s composition, KC Water said in a news release.
—Zuri Primos
july 8, Kansas City Star, 8 July 2025
Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 22 July 2025
Led by Joe Foy, who went 2 for 4 with a double, run, and two RBI, the Red Sox scored all three runs off Orioles starter Frank Bertaina, knocking him out of the game after just 4.2 innings.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for runoff
Verb
The Texas Hill Country mainly impacted runoff once the rain fell to the surface.
—Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
This caused excess runoff change the Missouri River’s composition, KC Water said in a news release.
—Zuri Primos
july 8, Kansas City Star, 8 July 2025
Noun
Cops recovered surveillance footage showing the gunman running off into the Christopher St. subway station, where he was recorded taking his mask and glasses off, according to prosecutors.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 22 July 2025
Led by Joe Foy, who went 2 for 4 with a double, run, and two RBI, the Red Sox scored all three runs off Orioles starter Frank Bertaina, knocking him out of the game after just 4.2 innings.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for runoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for runoff
Verb
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Among the line-up for this year’s speakers is also director-producer duo Ben Wheatley and Andy Starke (Kill List, Bulk, Sightseers) as well as Andrea Arnold, best known for her 2024 Cannes outing Bird.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
18 July 2025
-
In March, 2008, the Post published a front-page story on Eliot Spitzer, then the governor of New York, who—after cracking down on prostitution rings while serving as the state’s attorney general, from 1999 to 2006—was outed as having patronized an escort service.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Aug. 2025
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The presumption that refugees move over borders for just a few weeks to escape some crisis then quickly return home is pollyannaish.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Mortensen retreated back into her room and locked the door, immediately texting her housemates.—
Time,
Time,
23 July 2025
-
There have been several boycotts by consumers angry that the retailer has retreated from its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
22 July 2025
Noun
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At Biltmore Fashion Park, the development of the Life Time luxury health club and plans to add a mixed-use tower in the parking lot keep the center fresh.—
Corina Vanek,
AZCentral.com,
23 July 2025
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The pasta was perfectly al dente and the produce was farmers-market fresh.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Verb
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The seventh inning, meanwhile, saw Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake get ejected.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
24 July 2025
-
In March, he was ejected in Phoenix after a dust-up with Durant.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
Verb
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Villagers flee their homes near the Thai border in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province on July 25, 2025.—
Shane Croucher
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
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Yang’s deportation to Laos – a country her parents were forced to flee following US military intervention – underscores the sweeping and aggressive tactics Trump’s White House is using to expel immigrants.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
25 July 2025
Verb
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On May 9, she was flown to Texas through the Alexandria airport; the next day, she was driven to Mexico in a caravan of buses with other deportees.—
Brent McDonald,
New York Times,
31 July 2025
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The carrier flies to more than 20 destinations in the U.S. and Mexico, A public charter air carrier, JSX provides service to both major airports like Burbank and Las Vegas and to those not served by major airliners.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
Noun
-
Two and a half feet of rain beat down upon the face of the San Gabriels, wiping out the rustic resorts wedged into the canyons, and chuting runoff waters down onto the plain along ancient dry rivulets and freshets and canyons that Angelenos had forgotten or never known about.—
Patt MorrisonColumnist,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2023
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The Hudson River had a little current, fed by freshets from upstream with local rains, and melting snow farther up, in the Adirondacks.—
Ian Frazier,
The New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Runoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/runoff. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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