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View definitions for runner

runner

noun as in vine

Strong matches

noun as in one who runs

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Example Sentences

For instance, neck gaiters are especially popular among runners.

It is also home to the Charlotte Rail Trail, which is popular with runners, walkers, and cyclists.

Zwift isn’t brand-new—it’s been around for a few years—and it markets itself as a training app for cyclists, runners, and triathletes.

Then her team could also test just how well it would thwart would-be runners.

True, runners risk stepping into another person’s cloud of exhaled air.

“I put on a dress and walked down, and ended up getting first runner-up,” she recalls.

Runner-Up: Pauline Etienne, Eden I could not take my eyes off this immensely talented Belgian actress.

In April, Wehby was the front-runner; now, she is trailing badly and Oregon is safely in the D column.

He was smart and tough in the way of the hard worker, the long-distance runner, the gambler who wins on stamina.

One runner in Houston now has a permanent, hoof-shaped scar in the center of his forehead.

To talk German was beyond the sweep of my dizziest ambition, but an Italian runner or porter instantly presented himself.

And since he was a very fast runner—for short distances—he met Grandfather Mole just as the old chap was crawling up the bank.

He would be staggering, half blind with exhaustion—like a runner at the end of a long race, with a rival close at his heels.

Finally a swift runner reached the watch-tower, whence the old king looked forth, awaiting news of the day.

Peter could feel it pound as if he had been a mile runner and the finish lay a hundred yards ahead of him.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for runner?

The word runner commonly refers to someone who regularly runs for exercise, often as a hobby. The word jogger is sometimes used to mean the same thing, but some runners don’t like to be called joggers (for various reasons).

In the context of the sport of track, the word runner refers to one of the contestants in a race (less commonly called a racer). There are different kinds of runners depending on the kind of race, including sprinters, long distance runners, marathoners, and cross-country runners. An athlete who participates in track events might say that they run track.

In baseball, a runner is more commonly called a base runner. In football, a runner is often called a ball-carrier, a general term for whichever offensive player has the ball and is running with it (often the running back).

In some contexts, the word runner refers to a person who gets and delivers things, such as messenger, a courier, or a smuggler (as in gun runner and drug runner).

The word runner can also refer to a long and narrow stretch of carpet, such as for a stairway or hall, or a decorative strip of fabric that runs the length of a table (this is typically called a table runner).

What is another word for food runner?

In restaurants, a food runner (or just runner) is a member of the serving staff whose job is to assist the servers, especially by bringing food to the diners. While food runners may be called servers, such as by diners, they’re usually not the ones taking orders. Some of the responsibilities of a food runner may be the same as those of a busser.

How do you use runner in a sentence?

Runner is a common word with widely varying meanings and uses.

Here are some examples of runner in a sentence:

  • I’ve always liked to run, but I had never considered myself a “runner” until I started entering 5Ks. 
  • My college had a very small track team, so I was both a sprinter and a long distance runner.
  • As an intern, you’ll be doing a lot of random jobs, but you’ll be more than just a runner getting people lunch and coffee—you’ll be working on real projects. 

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On this page you'll find 43 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to runner, such as: contestant, entrant, hurdler, marathoner, racer, and sprinter.

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

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