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Showing results for ran. Search instead for RCAN.
Synonyms

ran

1 American  
[ran] / ræn /

verb

  1. simple past tense of run.

Ran 2 American  
[rahn] / rɑn /

noun

Scandinavian Mythology.

  1. a sea goddess who drags down ships and drowns sailors: the wife of Aegir.

RAN 1 British  

abbreviation

  1. Royal Australian Navy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
ran 2 British  
/ ræn /

verb

  1. the past tense of run

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Domestic Workers Protection Law was first introduced in 2004 but repeatedly ran up against roadblocks.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

The show is adapted from, in fact is almost a facsimile of, the Apple TV+ series, which ran two short seasons.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Tim Cook is leaving Apple the way he ran it — with precision, grace and impeccable timing.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

Zhao Haijie, 29, ran the fastest time among humans, finishing in 1 hour, 7 minutes and 47 seconds.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

She jumped up, her coppery curls bouncing, and ran over to take the basket.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.