Running is a great way to stay active and healthy, but did you know it’s also a source of inspiration for many fun and interesting idioms? These expressions often don’t mean what they literally say, but they bring excitement, energy, and creativity to everyday language. In this post, we’ll explore idioms related to running, from the well-known to the unique, and learn how they can make your speech more colorful.
Whether you’re a runner yourself or just someone who loves clever wordplay, these idioms are a great way to express yourself in a lively way. Ready to pick up the pace and dive into some fun idioms? Let’s go!
Idioms for Running
1. Run like the wind
Meaning: To run very fast.
In a Sentence: She ran like the wind to catch the bus before it left.
Other Ways to Say: Sprint, Run very fast
2. Run out of steam
Meaning: To become tired or exhausted.
In a Sentence: I was doing great in the race until I ran out of steam halfway through.
Other Ways to Say: Lose energy, Get tired
3. Run the show
Meaning: To be in charge of something.
In a Sentence: When my boss is away, I get to run the show at the office.
Other Ways to Say: Lead the way, Take control
4. Run the risk
Meaning: To expose yourself to the possibility of danger or failure.
In a Sentence: By not studying, you run the risk of failing the exam.
Other Ways to Say: Take a chance, Face the danger
5. Run in circles
Meaning: To keep doing something without making any progress.
In a Sentence: I feel like I’m running in circles with this project; I’m not getting anywhere!
Other Ways to Say: Go around in circles, Be stuck
6. Run something by someone
Meaning: To tell someone an idea or plan to get their opinion.
In a Sentence: Let me run this idea by you before I make any decisions.
Other Ways to Say: Consult with someone, Get feedback
7. Run a tight ship
Meaning: To manage something carefully and efficiently.
In a Sentence: She runs a tight ship, ensuring that everything in the office is always organized.
Other Ways to Say: Be organized, Be efficient
8. In the running
Meaning: To be a possible candidate or contender for something.
In a Sentence: After the interview, I think I’m in the running for the job.
Other Ways to Say: In the competition, A possible winner
9. Run on empty
Meaning: To be very tired or to have no energy left.
In a Sentence: After the long day, I was running on empty and just wanted to rest.
Other Ways to Say: Be exhausted, Be drained
10. Run to the wire
Meaning: To do something at the last possible moment.
In a Sentence: He ran to the wire to finish his assignment before the deadline.
Other Ways to Say: Do something at the last minute, Leave it until the last second
11. Run a mile in someone’s shoes
Meaning: To understand what someone else is going through by experiencing their situation.
In a Sentence: Before judging her, you should run a mile in her shoes and see how tough it is.
Other Ways to Say: Empathize, Understand someone’s position
12. Run with the ball
Meaning: To take control of a situation or opportunity.
In a Sentence: Once he got the promotion, he really ran with the ball and made great changes in the company.
Other Ways to Say: Seize the opportunity, Take the lead
13. Run a race
Meaning: To compete in something, usually a contest or competition.
In a Sentence: He’s been training for months to run a race this weekend.
Other Ways to Say: Compete, Challenge
14. Run out of time
Meaning: To have no more time to finish something.
In a Sentence: We ran out of time before we could finish our project.
Other Ways to Say: Be out of time, Run short on time
15. Running late
Meaning: To be behind schedule.
In a Sentence: I’m running late for my meeting, so I need to hurry!
Other Ways to Say: Be behind, Be tardy
16. Run to the ground
Meaning: To use something so much that it becomes damaged or worn out.
In a Sentence: After all these years, the old car finally ran to the ground and broke down.
Other Ways to Say: Wear out, Overuse
17. Run interference
Meaning: To prevent someone from achieving something by getting in their way.
In a Sentence: I had to run interference while my friend finished the project, so the boss wouldn’t see her struggling.
Other Ways to Say: Block, Hinder
18. Run hot and cold
Meaning: To show inconsistent behavior or feelings about something.
In a Sentence: He’s been running hot and cold about going to the party this weekend.
Other Ways to Say: Be indecisive, Change your mind often
19. Run the gamut
Meaning: To experience or cover a wide range of something.
In a Sentence: His interests run the gamut from music to cooking to sports.
Other Ways to Say: Cover everything, Be diverse
20. Run a smooth operation
Meaning: To manage something efficiently and without problems.
In a Sentence: The event went smoothly because we ran a smooth operation from start to finish.
Other Ways to Say: Run efficiently, Be seamless
21. Run with scissors
Meaning: To do something reckless or dangerous.
In a Sentence: Don’t run with scissors—you could hurt yourself!
Other Ways to Say: Be careless, Act dangerously
22. Run out of options
Meaning: To have no more choices or solutions left.
In a Sentence: After trying every idea, I ran out of options and didn’t know what to do.
Other Ways to Say: Have no alternatives, Be stuck
23. Run the gamut of emotions
Meaning: To experience a wide range of emotions.
In a Sentence: After hearing the news, she ran the gamut of emotions, from happiness to sadness.
Other Ways to Say: Feel all kinds of emotions, Go through different feelings
24. Run circles around someone
Meaning: To easily outperform or outdo someone.
In a Sentence: He can run circles around me when it comes to playing chess.
Other Ways to Say: Outperform, Outclass
25. Run into a wall
Meaning: To face an obstacle or challenge that is difficult to overcome.
In a Sentence: We ran into a wall when we tried to get approval for the new project.
Other Ways to Say: Face a setback, Hit an obstacle
26. Run in the family
Meaning: To be a characteristic or trait that is shared by members of the same family.
In a Sentence: Talent for singing really runs in the family.
Other Ways to Say: Be hereditary, Be passed down
27. Run the race of life
Meaning: To live life and face its challenges.
In a Sentence: Every day is part of running the race of life, and we have to give it our best.
Other Ways to Say: Live life, Face life’s challenges
28. Run to the end of the line
Meaning: To reach the final point of something.
In a Sentence: She ran to the end of the line in the race, securing her place as the winner.
Other Ways to Say: Finish, Reach the conclusion
29. Run short of
Meaning: To have less than what is needed.
In a Sentence: We’re running short of time before the deadline, so we need to hurry up.
Other Ways to Say: Be low on, Not have enough
30. Run at full speed
Meaning: To move as fast as possible.
In a Sentence: The car ran at full speed, passing everything on the highway.
Other Ways to Say: Go fast, Sprint
31. Run your race
Meaning: To focus on your own path and not compare yourself to others.
In a Sentence: It’s important to run your own race and not worry about what others are doing.
Other Ways to Say: Stay focused, Do your best
32. Run through the motions
Meaning: To do something without enthusiasm or real effort.
In a Sentence: He was just running through the motions at work, without any passion for his job.
Other Ways to Say: Go through the motions, Do something out of habit
33. Run a marathon
Meaning: To do something for a long period of time, requiring endurance.
In a Sentence: Writing my thesis felt like running a marathon—it took months to finish.
Other Ways to Say: Endure, Go the distance
34. Run for your life
Meaning: To run as fast as you can, usually to escape danger.
In a Sentence: When the dog started chasing me, I had to run for my life!
Other Ways to Say: Flee, Escape
35. Run a red light
Meaning: To disregard a traffic signal and keep moving.
In a Sentence: He was so late that he ran a red light just to get to the meeting on time.
Other Ways to Say: Disregard the stoplight, Break the traffic law
36. Run a full circle
Meaning: To complete something and return to where it started.
In a Sentence: The investigation has run a full circle, and we’re back to where we began.
Other Ways to Say: Come full circle, Reach the starting point
37. Run off at the mouth
Meaning: To talk a lot, especially without thinking.
In a Sentence: She just kept running off at the mouth during the meeting, and it became distracting.
Other Ways to Say: Talk excessively, Babble
38. Run with it
Meaning: To take action based on an idea or plan.
In a Sentence: Once I had the idea, I decided to run with it and start my own business.
Other Ways to Say: Take the idea and act, Go ahead with
39. Run a tab
Meaning: To keep track of money owed, especially at a bar or restaurant.
In a Sentence: I forgot to pay for my drinks, so they ran a tab for me.
Other Ways to Say: Keep a bill, Charge to account
40. Run on all cylinders
Meaning: To function at full capacity or efficiency.
In a Sentence: After a good night’s sleep, I’m running on all cylinders today!
Other Ways to Say: Be at full power, Work efficiently
Exercise to Practice
Fill in the blanks:
- She decided to _______ like the wind to catch the bus before it left.
- By the time we reached the halfway point, I had _______ out of steam.
- If you want to succeed, you have to _______ with the ball and take charge.
- He was _______ in the running for the promotion after his impressive interview.
- When we _______ out of time, we had no choice but to submit the work unfinished.
- The project was going well until we _______ into a wall and couldn’t progress.
- The event went smoothly because we _______ a tight ship and ensured everything was organized.
- I wasn’t sure if I could win the race, but I decided to _______ and give it my best.
- After all the practice, the runner was _______ and felt ready to take on the competition.
- He was _______ late to the meeting because of traffic.
Answers:
run, out, run, in, ran, ran, ran, run, running, running
Conclusion
Running isn’t just for athletes—it’s also a fantastic source of expression in language. These idioms add flair to conversations, help you explain things more creatively, and make everyday speech more fun. By learning and using these idioms, you can make your conversations more engaging and effective. So, whether you’re running a race or just running errands, keep these idioms in mind and use them to spice up your language!
Let’s get moving—add these running idioms to your vocabulary and use them in your daily life.
