noun ·3 syllables ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   An evasive explanation in the form of multiple excuses. idiomatic

   "I called them to find out what had happened to my parcel, but all I got was a runaround."

2. 2
   A detour or route that bypasses an obstacle.
3. 3
   A section of type that is narrower than that of the column it is part of; typically next to an illustration.
4. 4
   A whitlow running around the fingernail but not affecting the bone.

Synonyms

All synonyms

avoidanceavoiding reactionbuck-passingcircumventiondefense mechanismdetour

Example

More examples

"I get the feeling I'm being given the runaround."

Etymology

Deverbal from run around.

Related phrases

get the runaroundgive somebody the runaround

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.