run out

verb

ran out; run out; running out; runs out

intransitive verb

1

a

: to come to an end : expire

time ran out

b

: to become exhausted or used up

the gasoline ran out

2

: to jut out

transitive verb

1

a

: to finish out (a course, a series, a contest, etc.) : complete

b

of a baseball batter : to run hard to first base after hitting (a batted ball)

ran out the grounder

2

a

: to fill out (a typeset line) with quads, leaders, or ornaments

b

: to set (a line of text, such as the first line of a paragraph) with a hanging indention

3

: to exhaust (oneself) in running

4

: to cause to leave by force or coercion : expel

Phrases

run out of

: to use up the available supply of

ran out of time

run out on

: desert

Examples of run out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Time is running out, though, and the upcoming salary exchange deadline for arbitration-eligible players in January will be a pivotal point in negotiations between the club and first baseman. —Kaitlyn McGrath, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024

As Benford ran out of bounds, Rodgers pushed him and received an unnecessary roughness penalty, putting the Bills on the Jets’ 37-yard-line. —Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 29 Dec. 2024

Though wildlife vets managed to save his leg that time, his luck ran out a year later when he was caught in a steel trap meant for larger prey. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024

While Americans have been paying into the system for years, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is scheduled to run out of money for full payments as early as 2035. —David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

run out

verb

1

: to come to an end : expire

time ran out before we could tie the game

2

: to become exhausted or used up

our supplies were running out