runner
gb/ɹˈʌnɚ/ us/ɹˈʌnɚ/
A2
English
~ 7800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
person who runs, esp. for sport
A person who runs, often for sport or to keep fit.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a [adjective] runner
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say 'run player' instead of 'runner' when talking about someone in a race. Use 'runner' for a person who runs in general or in a race, and 'player' for team sports like football or basketball.
Synonyms
jogger (Suggests a slower, more relaxed style of running, usually for fitness rather than competition.)
Antonyms
spectator (A person who watches sport instead of taking part in it.)
Collocations
long-distance runner
|marathon runner
|sprinter and middle-distance runner
|keen runner
|fast runner
|casual runner
Themes
sports
|health
|daily life
Examples
- She’s an experienced marathon runner who trains six days a week.
- I’m not a very fast runner, but I can go for a long time.
- He used to be a sprinter, but now he’s more of a casual runner.
- The club welcomes runners of all ages and abilities.
- Many runners wear reflective clothing when they train at night.
Learner examples
- My sister is a good runner.
- I want to be a better runner this year.
- Many runners use a watch to see their time.
- He is the fastest runner in our class.
- The runners waited at the start line.
Noun
B2
entity
2
person who does small jobs or errands
A worker at a low level who runs around doing small jobs for other people, like taking messages or moving things.
Usage pattern:
[someone] works as a runner on [a show / a production]
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'runner' here means someone who runs fast. In this work meaning, a runner may not actually run; the word just means a junior helper who does simple jobs and errands.
Synonyms
assistant (More general and often more responsible; 'runner' suggests very basic, practical tasks.)
Antonyms
manager (A manager oversees people and work, while a runner does simple tasks given by others.)
Collocations
office runner
|production runner
|studio runner
|runner on a film set
|hired a runner
Themes
work
|business
|media
Examples
- She started out as a production runner before becoming a camera operator.
- The office runner takes documents between the different departments.
- We’ll need an extra runner on set tomorrow to help with props.
- He got his first job in television as a runner on a morning show.
- The runner spent the whole day delivering hard drives across town.
Learner examples
- He works as a runner in a TV studio.
- The runner brings coffee for the team.
- A runner often carries messages from one office to another.
- She got a job as a runner on a small film.
- The boss asked the runner to take the files to the lawyer.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
3
baseball player on a base
In baseball, a player who is standing on a base and trying to move to the next base and score.
Usage pattern:
the runner on [first/second/third] (base)
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think a 'runner' in baseball is any player who can run. It specifically means a player who is already on a base and is trying to move to the next base or score.
Synonyms
base runner (A more explicit term; in many contexts 'runner' alone is used and understood to mean a base runner.)
Antonyms
fielder (Fielders try to get runners out, so they are on the opposite side in the play.)
Collocations
runner on first
|lead runner
|pinch runner
|advance the runner
|tag the runner
Themes
sports
Examples
- The runner on third scored on a wild pitch.
- With two outs and a runner on first, the batter tried to hit to the opposite field.
- The shortstop tagged the runner before he could reach the base.
- They brought in a pinch runner to replace the slow catcher.
- Both runners advanced on the passed ball.
Learner examples
- There is a runner on first base.
- The runner tries to go to second base.
- The fielder throws the ball to get the runner out.
- A fast runner can score more easily.
- They put in a new runner because he is very fast.
Noun
B1
entity
4
long narrow rug or cloth strip
A long, thin rug or cloth that covers part of a floor, stairs, or table.
Usage pattern:
a runner on [the floor / the stairs / the table]
Common mistake:
Learners often call every cloth on a table a 'tablecloth'. A 'table runner' is different: it is a long, narrow strip down the middle of the table, not a full cover.
Synonyms
rug (More general; a rug can be many shapes and sizes, while a runner is long and narrow.)
Antonyms
bare (Describes a surface left uncovered, without any rug, carpet, or cloth.)
Collocations
hall runner
|carpet runner
|stair runner
|table runner
|bed runner
Themes
home
|daily life
|furniture
|housing
Examples
- They put a runner down the hallway to protect the wooden floor.
- A red carpet runner covered the steps up to the stage.
- We bought a linen table runner for the dining room.
- The stair runner makes the steps quieter and less slippery.
- She chose a patterned runner to add color to the corridor.
Learner examples
- There is a long runner in the hall.
- We have a runner on the stairs for safety.
- She put a white runner on the table.
- The runner makes the floor feel warm.
- They bought a new hall runner for their apartment.
Noun
B2
entity
5
horizontal stem producing new plants
A thin stem from a plant that grows along the ground and makes new baby plants.
Usage pattern:
[a plant] sends out runners
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'root' and 'runner'. A runner is a special stem that grows along the ground and can make new plants; the roots grow down into the soil from the plant or runner.
Synonyms
stolon (A technical botanical term; 'runner' is the common everyday word.)
Antonyms
taproot (A thick main root that grows down into the soil, contrasted with a thin stem growing along the surface.)
Collocations
strawberry runners
|send out runners
|root the runners
|cut off the runners
Themes
plants
|science
|nature
Examples
- Strawberry plants spread quickly by sending out runners.
- You can cut the runners and plant them to grow new strawberries.
- The runners took root wherever they touched the soil.
- Gardeners often remove some runners so the main plant stays strong.
- These plants produce long runners that cover the ground in summer.
Learner examples
- This strawberry plant has many runners.
- The runner grows on the soil and makes a new plant.
- She cut the runners and put them in new pots.
- The runners help the plant to spread.
- New plants grow at the end of each runner.
Noun
B2
entity
6
person who moves illegal goods
A person who moves illegal things like drugs or guns from one place to another for criminals.
Usage pattern:
a [drug / gun] runner
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'runner' always means something about sport. In phrases like 'drug runner' and 'gun runner', it means someone who secretly moves illegal things, not an athlete.
Synonyms
smuggler (A more general word for someone who moves goods illegally across borders; 'runner' often stresses the person doing the risky transport work for others.)
Antonyms
customs officer (A person whose job is to stop illegal goods, doing the opposite of what a runner does.)
Collocations
drug runner
|gun runner
|people runner
|runner for a cartel
|small-time runner
Themes
crime
|law
|business
Examples
- Police arrested two drug runners at the border.
- The gun runner supplied weapons to several criminal gangs.
- He acted as a low-level runner, delivering packages for the cartel.
- Authorities say the runners used fishing boats to move the cocaine.
- The runner was caught with several kilograms of heroin in his car.
Learner examples
- The police stopped a drug runner near the city.
- A gun runner sells guns in a secret and illegal way.
- He worked as a runner for a big gang.
- The runner carried the drugs across the border.
- The runner went to prison for moving illegal goods.
Noun
B2
entity
7
sliding bar or blade under object
A long, thin part under or beside something that helps it slide, like under a sled or a drawer.
Usage pattern:
a runner on [a sled / a drawer / a ski]
Common mistake:
Learners may call this part 'wheels'. Some objects, like sleds and drawers, do not use wheels; instead they slide on runners.
Synonyms
rail (A rail is a guiding bar; a runner is specifically the part that slides or supports sliding.)
Antonyms
leg (A leg keeps something standing in one place, while a runner lets it slide along a surface.)
Collocations
drawer runner
|ski runner
|sledge runner
|metal runners
|rusty runners
Themes
technology
|transport
|home
|housing
Examples
- The drawer came off its runner and wouldn’t close properly.
- The sledge runners were waxed so it would move faster over the snow.
- Check that the runners on your skis are smooth and free of rust.
- The metal runners allow the door to slide quietly.
- He replaced the broken runners under the kitchen drawers.
Learner examples
- The drawer will not open because the runner is broken.
- The sled has two runners under it.
- The runners on the skis must be smooth.
- He cleaned the metal runners so the door could slide.
- The chair has no runners; it has legs.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
8
horse or competitor in a race
An animal or other competitor that is in a race, especially in horse or dog racing.
Usage pattern:
[a race] has [number] runners
Common mistake:
Learners may think this meaning is only for people. In racing news, 'runner' often means a horse or dog that is in the race.
Synonyms
competitor (A general term; 'runner' in this sense is most often used for racing animals in betting and racing reports.)
Antonyms
non-runner (A horse or other entry that was expected to run but does not actually take part in the race.)
Collocations
ten runners in the race
|the runners and riders
|a non-runner
|late runner
|all declared runners
Themes
sports
|gambling
Examples
- There are twelve runners in the 3.30 race at Ascot.
- Two runners were withdrawn due to the heavy ground.
- All the remaining runners are now going down to the start.
- The favorite is one of only six runners in this event.
- Several runners struggled with the soft conditions.
Learner examples
- There are ten runners in today’s race.
- One runner did not start because it was sick.
- The runners are ready at the start line.
- Only a few runners finished the long race.
- Each runner has a number and a name.
Noun
informal
C1
entity
9
repeated joke or theme in a show
In TV or comedy, a joke or idea that comes back again and again in the show.
Usage pattern:
a runner through [a show / a series]
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'runner' always involves real running. In TV and comedy, a 'runner' can be a repeated joke or idea, even if nobody is running.
Synonyms
running gag (More common; 'runner' is a shorter form mainly used by writers and people in the industry.)
Antonyms
one-off joke (A joke that is used only once, not repeated throughout the show.)
Collocations
a little runner
|comic runner
|a runner through the series
|use that as a runner
Themes
media
|entertainment
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- The writers added a small runner about his broken phone in every episode.
- We need a visual runner that ties the sketches together.
- That misunderstanding became a runner throughout the whole series.
- Her strange hat collection is a comic runner in the film.
- They decided to drop the runner because audiences didn’t find it funny.
Learner examples
- The show has a funny runner about his old car.
- Her red shoes are a runner in every episode.
- The same joke comes back as a runner in the film.
- Writers used the dog as a runner in the story.
- That runner makes the series feel connected.
Grammar
Dictionary form
runner
IPA
GB/ɹˈʌnɚ/
US/ɹˈʌnɚ/
Syllables & stress
run - ner (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (run)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: runner
- Plural: runners
Word family
Expressions
front-runner
1/fɹˈʌnt ɹˈʌnɚ/
fixed phrase
most likely winner or choice
The person, team, or idea that is most likely to win or be chosen.
Examples
- He is the clear front-runner in the presidential race.
- Their proposal is now the front-runner for the new project.
runner-up
1/ɹˈʌnɚ ˈʌp/
fixed phrase
person or team in second place
A person or team who finishes in second place in a competition.
Examples
- She was the runner-up in last year’s marathon.
- The team finished as runners-up in the national championship.