to outrun
- verb
- /ˌaʊtˈrʌn/
- The athletes were competing to see who could outrun the others in the 100-meter dash.
- outrun an animal
They out paddled, outran and outswam all the other boat crews.
- They out paddled, outran and outswam all the other boat crews.
- And so when it's needed and you have to outrun the predator, you go.
- He needs to be able to run fast and for a while to outrun the lion.
- But you know, every morning in Africa, gazelle wakes up and knows that if he doesn't outrun the fastest lion, he's going to die.
- And as masters of seas and rivers, they could easily outrun the clumsy, slow Carolingian armies.
- It's like I know that dude I could outrun him five years.
Examples
-
Next was the Thealvi, who could outrun anything in the wild.
-
We're gonna try to outrun them.
-
And the overall rule is to run the ball, outrun them, make them big, make them tired.
-
Okay, well, we're not gonna outrun anyone in this thing, So, slow down a little, Lee.
-
If I run fast enough, I'll just outrun these feelings.
-
You try and outrun O'Bannion and those guys.
-
We can't outrun them doubled up like this.
-
I was about one hundred yards behind, Stan having outrun me as usual.
Fiction book (1999) -
He's trembly, but he knows he could outrun her if only he could catch sight of her.
Fiction book (1997) -
I can't outrun them.
Synonyms
To move, grow, or develop faster than another
To become faster, better, or larger than another
Get much farther ahead of other people in a race or competition
To move or run faster than someone in a race
Run faster than another person in a race to finish ahead
Antonyms
Idioms
How Fast
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Outrun is made of out- meaning 'beyond' or 'more than' and run, so it literally means to run 'beyond' someone. Think of passing another runner and leaving them behind — that is why to outrun someone is to move faster on foot than they do.