Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Run down

verb, slang

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To hit someone with a car or other vehicle and injure or kill them. transitive

    "He was run down while crossing the main road."

  2. 2
    use up all one's strength and energy and stop working wordnet
  3. 3
    To criticize someone or an organisation, often unfairly. transitive

    "Whatever the company says, the media is going to run them down."

  4. 4
    injure or kill by knocking (someone or something) down and passing over the body, as with a vehicle wordnet
  5. 5
    To find something or someone after searching for a long time. transitive

    "I finally managed to run down that report. I had filed it incorrectly."

Show 15 more definitions
  1. 6
    pursue until captured wordnet
  2. 7
    To lose power slowly. Used for a machine, battery, or other powered device. intransitive, transitive

    "You need to wind up the clock every day so that it doesn't run down."

  3. 8
    move downward wordnet
  4. 9
    To read quickly a list or other short text. transitive

    "Running down the list of suggestions, I can see three we can discard immediately."

  5. 10
    examine hastily wordnet
  6. 11
    To describe in the form of a rundown, a rough outline or summary. transitive

    "When the minute was up, John Jay managed to make the woman twice as nervous as he ran down the rules and the possibilities."

  7. 12
    deplete wordnet
  8. 13
    To reduce the size or stock levels of a business, often with a view to closure. British, transitive

    "The board of directors have decided to run down the stocks held in storage prior to offering the company for sale."

  9. 14
    trace wordnet
  10. 15
    To decline in quality or condition.

    "to run down in health"

  11. 16
    To chase till the object pursued is captured or exhausted.

    "to run down a stag"

  12. 17
    To run against and sink, as a vessel. transitive

    "The Jylland only missed running down a schooner by a few yards in the fog; it was a near thing—near enough, in fact, to allow of some shouted remarks between those on the bridge of the motorship and the man at the wheel of the schooner to be clearly heard."

  13. 18
    To crush; to overthrow; to overbear. transitive

    "Religion is […]run down by the prevailing licence of these times."

  14. 19
    To approach (someone, thing or place) aggressively, as to attack. slang, transitive

    "He ran down on Rashad and them."

  15. 20
    To move (some copy) down to the next line. transitive

    "If they occasionally supply any additional copy after this element, run it down with a manual line break."

See also for "run down"

Synonyms Antonyms Rhymes Sentences Translate Word Type Pronunciation Word Forms

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: rundown