Definitions

runner

[ruhn-er] / ˈrʌn ər /

NOUN

one who runs

Synonyms

STRONGEST

contestant entrant hurdler marathoner racer sprinter

STRONG

carrier courier jogger messenger

WEAK

cross-country runner distance runner long distance runner middle distance runner trackman

Antonyms

STRONG

receiver

NOUN

vine

Synonyms

STRONG

branch offshoot tendril

NOUN

one who runs

Synonyms

STRONGEST

hurdler marathoner racer sprinter

STRONG

courier harrier jogger messenger page

Antonyms

STRONG

receiver

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.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

runner runners

Wicks, a former GB distance runner, recalls Crystal Palace's prices were cheaper, even allowing for inflation, than many London Diamond League seats today.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

Mbappe, now 27, prefers to be involved in the game rather than just being a last-line runner to finish off moves - as he did so brilliantly as a 19-year-old in France's 2018 win.

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026

A former star student and long-distance runner from a prominent family in Amarillo, Texas, Griffin goes into her first session with a competitor’s single-minded determination to, as she writes, “get to the finish line.”

From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026

With two outs and a runner on, Sasaki threw a splitter on the inside edge of the strike zone to Gunnar Henderson, who homered to right field.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 20, 2026

Just as Max shouts my name, her voice thick with worry, I lock eyes with a runner whose face I recognize.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi

It makes a fitness influencer fail to see why running the NYC Marathon accompanied by a camera crew on e-bikes might be a problem for other runners.

From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026

With runners arriving on the blindside of the defenders at the back post, Japan struggled to cope and it was little surprise that Casemiro's equaliser came from this simple but effective ploy.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

But the inefficiency sent his pitch count past 80 before he exited with runners on first and second in the fifth.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2026

Further forward, Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke are all powerful runners capable of attacking into space against fewer defenders.

From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026

When it was soft, he went outside and smeared it over the runners and let it freeze again.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

runner

Frequently Asked Questions

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Related Words