outrun

American  

[out-ruhn] / ˌaʊtˈrʌn /

verb (used with object)

outran, outrun, outrunning

1. to run faster or farther than.

2. to escape by or as if by running.

   They managed to outrun the police.

3. to exceed; excel; surpass.

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outrun British  

/ ˌaʊtˈrʌn /

verb

1. to run faster, farther, or better than

2. to escape from by or as if by running

3. to go beyond; exceed

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Etymology

Origin of outrun

First recorded in 1520–30; out + run

Explanation

To outrun someone is to move faster than they do. Your lazy cat might enjoy hunting for mice, although the mice always seem to outrun him in the end. You can outrun an opponent in a race, and you can also watch a video game character outrun a pursuing zombie — outrun can also mean "escape from." Your dog might enjoy chasing cars, never managing to outrun them. More figuratively, you can say that your hopes always outrun the reality of a situation. In other words, what you dream of exceeds what actually happens.

Example Sentences

Most of the stories are matter-of-fact, and Bertei avoids the absolute worst consequences for a while before she can’t outrun it any more.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

NASA’s powerful Launch Abort System, designed to outrun an exploding rocket, is the result of years of work from scientists and engineers across the country, including in Southern California’s Mojave Desert.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Yet back-to-back red cards against Burnley and Arsenal followed, Chelsea continue to be outrun in the Premier League, and lapses in concentration have become a weekly gripe from the 41-year-old.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

The film's final sequence sees Bob desperately searching for his daughter as she tries to outrun Lockjaw in the desert.

From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026

They couldn’t outrun what he now realized was the eruption of Mount St. Helens, but there was a way for them to be in the safest place possible.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

Related Words

• elude
• surpass