Runoff
noun ·2 syllables ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
- 1 That portion of precipitation or irrigation on an area which does not infiltrate or evaporate, but instead is discharged from the area. countable, uncountable
"The next series of high tides or large waves will tend to rebuild the berm and redam the stream. Ultimately, increased runoff due to fall or winter rains will raise the stream level to the point where it breaks through."
- 2 a final election to resolve an earlier election that did not produce a winner wordnet
- 3 Dissolved chemicals, etc, included in such water. countable, uncountable
"The runoff of nitrates is poisoning the lake."
- 4 the occurrence of surplus liquid (as water) exceeding the limit or capacity wordnet
- 5 A second or further round of a competition, after other competitors (often all but the last two) have been eliminated. countable, uncountable
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- 6 A second or further round of an indecisive election, after other candidates (often all but the last two) have been eliminated. countable, uncountable
"There will now be a runoff as neither front runner received more than 50% of the vote."
Example
More examples"The Southwest, Great Plains, and Southeast are particularly vulnerable to changes in water supply and demand. Changes in precipitation and runoff, combined with changes in consumption and withdrawal, have reduced surface and groundwater supplies in many areas. These trends are expected to continue, increasing the likelihood of water shortages for many uses."
Etymology
Deverbal from run off.
Related phrases
More for "runoff"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.