run into

verb

"run-into" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“run into” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To enter by running.

Corpus desk

Index EN-run-into · run into · English

run into · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "R" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for run into
PropertyValue
Headwordrun into
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “run into” in English

run intofalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

run into is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 8 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for run into in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct English form is run into, spelled R-U-N- -I-N-T-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    To enter by running.
  2. 2
    To collide with.
  3. 3
    To cause to collide with.
  4. 4
    To unexpectedly encounter or meet someone or something (literally or figuratively).
  5. 5
    To reach, to flow into (a body of water).
  6. 6
    To blend into; to be followed by or adjacent to without there being a clear boundary.
  7. 7
    To cause to blend into.
  8. 8
    To reach a large figure.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. He ran into the building.
  2. Here we were nearly 8 min. early, and was now a matter of spinning out time, as indeed we did—losing 3 min. from Penrith to Carlisle!—in order not to run into Carlisle more than 5 min. early.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "run into"?
"run into" is spelled R-U-N- -I-N-T-O.
What does "run into" mean?
As a verb, "run into" means: To enter by running.
What language does "run into" come from?
"run into" is a English word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list