26984 words

runaway

8 definitions • 13 examples
1
having escaped or run away from somewhere:

Examples:

a runaway child sleeping on the streets
a runaway bride (= who ran away from her wedding)
2
out of control:

Examples:

A runaway bus/horse caused chaos on the streets.
We have to rein in our runaway spending.
3
Runaway success is surprisingly sudden or great:

Examples:

Her first novel's runaway success came as a great surprise.
He is the runaway leader at the top of the competition scoreboard.
4
someone who has escaped or run away from somewhere:

Examples:

a safe house for young runaways
5
being or seeming to be out of control, or happening suddenly and strongly:

Examples:

runaway health-care costs
From the moment he launched the Boy Scout movement in 1908, it was a runaway success.
6
a young person who has left home without permission
7
rising quickly in a way that is not under control:

Examples:

8

Examples:

a runaway bestseller/favourite/hit The reality is that a new musical needs to be a runaway hit to survive the economics of Broadway.

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