run the show

Idioms and Phrases

Take charge, assume control, as in Ever since Bill retired from the business, his daughter's been running the show . The word show here simply means “kind of undertaking.” [First half of 1900s] A similar usage is run one's own show , meaning “exert control over one's own activities” or “act independently.” For example, The high school drama club didn't ask permission to perform that play—they want to run their own show . [Mid-1900s]

Example Sentences

One of his colleagues, radiologist Dr Chris Fletcher, told the inquest on Wednesday that the breast surgeon was a "nightmare" to work with and that multi-disciplinary meetings were "always difficult" because Paterson "always tried to run the show".

From BBC

“I think it’s time we let a strong independent woman run the show, because every male so far hasn’t done anything in the last 30 years,” one white respondent in Arkansas wrote.

From Slate

"This isn't the best way to run the show," he told the BBC.

From BBC

Sullivan, who coached Pittsburgh to the Cup, will run the show.

From Seattle Times

“It’s that there are some dysfunctional people in Congress, and we can’t let them run the show.”

From New York Times

Related Words

• administer
• conduct
• dominate
• govern
• guide
• handle
• maintain
• operate
• oversee
• regulate
• run
• supervise
• take care of
• take over
• train
• use