run

/ɹʌn/

//ɹʌn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"run" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“run” sits in 20 confusable pairs (corpus #309) as a verb. The look-alike neighbours are the real trap.

#309
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To move swiftly.

Corpus desk

Index EN-run · run · English

run · rank #309 · 0 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-CORE #309
  • LEN-MID 3 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH party

Nearest frequency peer: party (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbours of confusable “run”

Peers at similar corpus weight, separate from look-alike pairs below

corpus weight

What this shows Bars place “run” against nearest ranked English headwords, not a reprint of the confusable-pair desk.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

run vs RV
0% similar
run vs RW
0% similar
run vs rye
33% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for run
PropertyValue
Headwordrun
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹʌn/
Letters3
Frequency rank#309
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Corpus rank beside confusables of “run”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).runlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “party” (#308), “says” (#310), “order” (#307). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “run” is #309. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Easy to mix with look-alikes

The spelling risk for run is neighbouring look-alikes ("RV", "RW", …), not just typos; it is averb pronounced /ɹʌn/. Frequency #309 among 3,094 “R” headwords. 63 recorded senses keep meaning in play.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for run, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "RV", "RW", "rye", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English runnen, rennen (“to run”), alteration (due to the past participle runne, runnen, yronne) of Middle English rinnen (“to run”), from Old English rinnan, iernan (“to run”) and Old Norse rinna (“to run”), both from Proto-Germanic *rinnaną (“… The correct English form is run, spelled R-U-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To move swiftly.
  2. 2
    To move swiftly.
  3. 3
    To move swiftly.
  4. 4
    To move swiftly.
  5. 5
    To move swiftly.
  6. 6
    To move swiftly.
  7. 7
    To move swiftly.
  8. 8
    To move swiftly.
  9. 9
    To move swiftly.
  10. 10
    To move swiftly.
  11. 11
    To move swiftly.
  12. 12
    To move swiftly.
  13. 13
    To move swiftly.
  14. 14
    To move swiftly.
  15. 15
    To move swiftly.
  16. 16
    To move swiftly.
  17. 17
    To flow.
  18. 18
    To flow.
  19. 19
    To flow.
  20. 20
    To flow.
  21. 21
    To flow.
  22. 22
    To flow.
  23. 23
    To flow.
  24. 24
    To sail before the wind, in distinction from reaching or sailing close-hauled.
  25. 25
    To control or manage; to be in charge of.
  26. 26
    To be a candidate in an election.
  27. 27
    To make participate in certain kinds of competitions.
  28. 28
    To make participate in certain kinds of competitions.
  29. 29
    To exert continuous activity; to proceed.
  30. 30
    To be presented in the media.
  31. 31
    To print or broadcast in the media.
  32. 32
    To smuggle (illegal goods).
  33. 33
    To sort through a large volume of produce in quality control.
  34. 34
    To extend or persist, statically or dynamically, through space or time.
  35. 35
    To extend or persist, statically or dynamically, through space or time.
  36. 36
    To extend or persist, statically or dynamically, through space or time.
  37. 37
    To extend or persist, statically or dynamically, through space or time.
  38. 38
    To extend or persist, statically or dynamically, through space or time.
  39. 39
    To execute or carry out a plan, procedure, or program.
  40. 40
    To pass or go quickly in thought or conversation.
  41. 41
    To become different in a way mentioned (usually to become worse).
  42. 42
    To cost an amount of money.
  43. 43
    Of stitches or stitched clothing, to unravel.
  44. 44
    To cause stitched clothing to unravel.
  45. 45
    To pursue in thought; to carry in contemplation.
  46. 46
    To cause to enter; to thrust.
  47. 47
    To drive or force; to cause, or permit, to be driven.
  48. 48
    To cause to be drawn; to mark out; to indicate; to determine.
  49. 49
    To encounter or incur (a danger or risk).
  50. 50
    To put at hazard; to venture; to risk.
  51. 51
    To tease with sarcasms and ridicule.
  52. 52
    To sew (a seam) by passing the needle through material in a continuous line, generally taking a series of stitches on the needle at the same time.
  53. 53
    To control or have precedence in a card game.
  54. 54
    To be in form thus, as a combination of words.
  55. 55
    To be popularly known; to be generally received.
  56. 56
    To have growth or development.
  57. 57
    To tend, as to an effect or consequence; to incline.
  58. 58
    To have a legal course; to be attached; to continue in force, effect, or operation; to follow; to go in company.
  59. 59
    To encounter or suffer (a particular, usually bad, fate or misfortune).
  60. 60
    To strike (the ball) in such a way as to cause it to run along the ground, as when approaching a hole.
  61. 61
    To speedrun.
  62. 62
    To eject from a game or match.
  63. 63
    To press (a bank, etc.) with immediate demands for payment.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how run appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Run, and you might still catch the train!
  2. Through the open front door ran Jessamy, down the steps to where Kitto was sitting at the bottom with the pram beside him.

Etymology

From Middle English runnen, rennen (“to run”), alteration (due to the past participle runne, runnen, yronne) of Middle English rinnen (“to run”), from Old English rinnan, iernan (“to run”) and Old Norse rinna (“to run”), both from Proto-Germanic *rinnaną (“to run”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reyH- (“to boil, churn”). Cognate with Scots rin (“to run”), West Frisian rinne (“to walk, march”), archaic Dutch rinnen (“to flow”, still in geronnen), German rinnen (“to flow”), Swedish rinna (“to flow”), and Icelandic renna (“to flow”). From the causative Proto-Germanic *rannijaną (“to make run”) are Dutch rennen, German rennen, Danish rende, Swedish ränna (all “to run”). Non-Germanic cognates include Albanian rend (“to run, run after”). See also random.

Synonyms

galloprun

This word in other languages

correr(Español)courir(Français)rennen(Deutsch)correr(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "run"?
"run" is spelled R-U-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹʌn/.
What does "run" mean?
As a verb, "run" means: To move swiftly.
What words are commonly confused with "run"?
"run" is commonly confused with "RV", "RW", "rye". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "run"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "run" is /ɹʌn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "run"?
From Middle English runnen, rennen (“to run”), alteration (due to the past participle runne, runnen, yronne) of Middle English rinnen (“to run”), from Old English rinnan, iernan (“to run”) and Old Norse rinna (“to run”), both from Proto-Germanic *... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "run", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 3 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

yes#301try#299job#296far#295

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list