runaway

[ ruhn-uh-wey ]

noun

1. a person who runs away; fugitive; deserter.
2. a horse or team that has broken away from control.
3. the act of running away.
4. a decisive or easy victory.
5. a young person, especially a teenager, who has run away from home.

adjective

1. having run away; escaped; fugitive.
2. (of a horse or other animal) having escaped from the control of the rider or driver.
3. pertaining to or accomplished by running away or eloping:

   a runaway marriage.

4. easily won, as a contest:

   a runaway victory at the polls.

   Synonyms: complete, absolute

5. unchecked; rampant:

   runaway prices.

6. Informal. deserting or revolting against one's group, duties, expected conduct, or the like, especially to establish or join a rival group, change one's life drastically, etc.:

   The runaway delegates nominated their own candidate.

Word History and Origins

Origin of runaway¹

First recorded in 1505–15; noun, adj. use of verb phrase run away

Example Sentences

The Union of Concerned Scientists, the National Wildlife Federation, Earth First and The Wilderness Society, among others, all published articles or ran campaigns against runaway population growth well into the late 1990s.

From Salon

But when lithium batteries are corrupted, they can experience thermal runaway – meaning a cell undergoes uncontrollable temperature rises, making a fire hard to control and extinguish.

From BBC

“A Trump agenda means more sickness and death caused by pollution and runaway climate change,” insisted Bill Macgavern, policy director of the Los Angeles nonprofit Clean Air Coalition.

From Los Angeles Times

But what seemed like a runaway competition between the two quarterbacks through fall camp ended up being “neck and neck” according to Riley.

From Los Angeles Times

He realized the impish elf had become a runaway success when “one day my parents asked me for a Labubu doll,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• rampant
• unbridled
• unchecked
• uncontrolled
• unrestrained