1 B1 neutral
to chase someone or something by running behind them
"She ran after the bus but missed it by seconds."
inseparable
run after
B1 neutral inseparable transitive
to chase someone or something, or to spend a lot of effort trying to please or get them
In plain English
to go quickly after someone, or try hard to get them
What does "run after" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
to try hard to get the attention, love, or approval of someone
"He spent years running after people who didn't value him."
inseparable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
to hurry around taking care of someone's needs
"She's exhausted because she's been running after the children all day."
inseparable
Usage tip
Can be literal for chasing, or figurative for romantic pursuit or serving someone's needs.
Words that pair with "run after"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
child ball dreams customers men success
How to conjugate "run after"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
run after
I/you/we/they
3rd person
runs after
he/she/it
Past simple
ran after
yesterday
Past participle
run after
have + pp
-ing form
running after
continuous
Hear "run after" in the wild
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Other ways to say "run after"
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Keep exploring
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