on the run

prepositional phrase

Fleeing.

“He had to eat on the run.”

Similar
on the lamhotin retreaton the goon the move
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Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. idiomaticFleeing.

    The suspect in the robbery is still on the run.

    1 more example

    Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real message: America’s discomfort and its foes’ glee.

    2013 June 29, “Travels and travails”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, page 55

    Synonyms: on the lam, hot

  2. idiomaticAt a disadvantage; forced to abandon a position.

    The corruption charges against her aides have her on the run.

    Synonyms: in retreat

  3. idiomaticConstantly traveling or moving from place to place.

    He had to eat on the run.

    1 more example

    She's a busy executive and always on the run.

    Synonyms: on the go, on the move

  4. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see on, run.

    The skier's wife had the baby while he was still on the run.

Synonyms & antonyms

prepositional phraseFleeing.

Similar
on the lamhot

prepositional phraseAt a disadvantage; forced to abandon a position.

Similar
in retreat

prepositional phraseConstantly traveling or moving from place to place.

Similar
on the goon the move
Also see
at largein retreatin the windon the loose

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 流竄 /流窜
  • 流竄 /流窜 (liúcuàn)fleeing
Dutch voortvluchtig
  • voortvluchtigfleeing
Finnish vapaalla jalalla, karkuteillä
  • vapaalla jalallafleeing
  • karkuteilläfleeing
French en cavale, en vadrouille
  • en cavalefleeing
  • en vadrouilleconstantly traveling
German auf der Flucht
  • auf der Fluchtfleeing
Hungarian szökésben
  • szökésbenfleeing
Irish ar do theitheadh
  • ar do theitheadhfleeing
Italian in fuga, latitante
  • in fugafleeing
  • latitantefleeing
  • uccel di boscofleeing
Norwegian Bokmål på rømmen
  • på rømmenfleeing
Polish wiejący, podróżujący
  • wiejącyfleeing
  • podróżującyconstantly traveling
Spanish estar prófugo (a), a la fuga
  • estar prófugo (a)fleeing
  • a la fugafleeing
Swedish på fri fot
  • på fri fotfleeing

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with on the run

sunrunfundonenoneeveryonesonwongunbeguntonDunndunnunbunGunnpunstuntonneundonererunshunmunthon
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

on the run. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20run

MLA

“on the run.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20run. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “on the run,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20run.

Source: on the run on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.