1 A2 neutral
to leave quickly in order to escape from danger, fear, or trouble
"When the fire alarm rang, everyone ran away from the building."
“
Run, Forrest, run!
— Forrest Gump, 1994
inseparable
run away
A2 neutral inseparable intransitive
to leave a place quickly, often because of fear or to escape; also to leave home secretly
In plain English
to go away fast because you are scared or do not want to stay
What does "run away" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 idiomatic neutral
to leave home secretly or suddenly, especially as a child or teenager
"At sixteen, he threatened to run away after the argument."
inseparable
Usage tip
Very common and basic. Often used for children, criminals, animals, and emotional avoidance in extended use.
Words that pair with "run away"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
home child dog fear from danger screaming
How to conjugate "run away"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
run away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
runs away
he/she/it
Past simple
ran away
yesterday
Past participle
run away
have + pp
-ing form
running away
continuous
Hear "run away" in the wild
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Other ways to say "run away"
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