run-up

noun

The approach run of a bowler before delivering the ball.

“Economists expect a run-up of long-term interest rates.”

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Meanings

nounrun-up (countable and uncountable, plural run-ups)

plural run-ups · alternative runup · alternative run up

  1. countableuncountableball gamesThe approach run of a bowler before delivering the ball.

    Jasprit Bumrah has the most unique run-up in the history of cricket.

  2. countableuncountableThe approach run of a high jumper or other athlete in order to gather speed or momentum.

    But he still saw his side produce a rousing display which owed much to their lauded prowess from set-pieces, despite Uefa regulations meaning the pitch had to be widened and, in the process, the run-up area for Delap's long throws reduced.

    2011 September 29, Tom Rostance, “Stoke 2 - 1 Besiktas”, in BBC Sport
  3. countableuncountableA period of time just before an important event.

    The candidates were very nervous in the run-up to the election.

    2 more examples

    Politicians on TikTok will no longer be able to use the app tipping tools, nor access advertising features on the social network, as the company tightens its policies around political issues in the run-up to the US midterm elections in six weeks’ time.

    2022 September 21, Alex Hern, “TikTok tightens policies around political issues in run-up to US midterms”, in The Guardian

    Further trials and commissioning of the newly laid track will take place in the run-up to the launch of passenger services in June.

    2023 April 19, “Network News: First tram on Wolverhampton extension”, in RAIL, number 981, page 12, image caption
  4. countableuncountableAn increase in the value or amount of something.

    Economists expect a run-up of long-term interest rates.

    1 more example

    A Price Run-Up for Run-Down Communes [title]

    2006 December 22, Andrew E. Kramer, “A Price Run-Up for Run-Down Communes”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

    Synonyms: hike

  5. countableuncountablegeographyThe extent of a wave's reach onto land as the result of a tsunami or storm such as a cyclone.

    I found sand pushed all the way to the edge of my home by the run-up of Wednesday's tsunami.

    1 more example

    Historical records of tsunamis in this region are available for the last 400 years, and the run-up heights of historical tsunamis at Koyadori were estimated and measured"

    2019, Daisuke Ishimura, Keitaro Yamada, “Palaeo-tsunami inundation distances deduced from roundness of gravel particles in tsunami deposits”, in Scientific Reports, volume 9, →DOI, page 2
  6. countabletransitiveuncountableaeronauticsThe process of warming up and testing an airplane before a flight.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAn increase in the value or amount of something.

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More synonyms by meaning

nouna substantial increase over a relatively short period of time

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Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Translations

Dutch aanloop, aanloop
  • aanloop(cricket) the approach run of a bowler before delivering the ball
  • aanloopthe approach run of a high jumper or other athlete in order to gather speed or momentum
  • aanloopperiod of time just before an important event
  • toenamean increase in the value or amount of something
  • stijgingan increase in the value or amount of something
Finnish vauhdinotto, vauhdinotto
  • vauhdinotto(cricket) the approach run of a bowler before delivering the ball
  • vauhdinottothe approach run of a high jumper or other athlete in order to gather speed or momentum
  • nousuan increase in the value or amount of something
German Anlauf, Vorfeld
  • Anlaufthe approach run of a high jumper or other athlete in order to gather speed or momentum
  • Vorfeldperiod of time just before an important event
  • vorangehende Zeitperiod of time just before an important event
  • Anstiegan increase in the value or amount of something
Hungarian nekifutás
  • nekifutásthe approach run of a high jumper or other athlete in order to gather speed or momentum
Irish ruthag
  • ruthagthe approach run of a high jumper or other athlete in order to gather speed or momentum
Italian rincorsa
  • rincorsathe approach run of a high jumper or other athlete in order to gather speed or momentum
Norwegian Bokmål tilløp
  • tilløpthe approach run of a high jumper or other athlete in order to gather speed or momentum
Persian آستانه
  • آستانه (âstâne)period of time just before an important event
Spanish espacio previo, periodo/período previo/anterior
  • espacio previothe approach run of a high jumper or other athlete in order to gather speed or momentum
  • periodo/período previo/anteriorperiod of time just before an important event
Cite this entry
APA

run-up. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/run-up

MLA

“run-up.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/run-up. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “run-up,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/run-up.

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