"outrun" means: To run faster than.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
outrun
(transitive) To run faster than.
Seen in the wild
9 citations · last seen May 2026
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
I always carry a bottle of acid in my pocket so if anyone tries to attack me, I can throw it in their face. Then all I need to do is outrun them for an hour until they start tripping!
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BlueskyMay 2026
Tom Watson on the infamous 2006 'curry house coup' against Tony Blair. "In politics, a myth with a decent headline can outrun a fact wearing running spikes." open.substack.com/pub/tomwatso...
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BlueskyMay 2026
Set against the stark beauty of North Wales, EFFI O BLAENAU follows a young woman on the edge — where one fleeting chance at something better collides with the harsh reality she can’t outrun. Cast includes: Leisa Gwe…
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BlueskyMay 2026
You’ve seen her outrun a T. Rex (in heels) and be lab partners with Spider-Man. Now, Bryce Dallas Howard is heading to FAN EXPO Denver this month. Get tickets: spr.ly/63326BBwdHp
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BlueskyMay 2026
Not a scientist or doctor, but recognize some people will need to be on antidepressants for the rest of their lives. For me, solution entailed lengthy sabbatical, talk therapy, and journaling. Antidepressants constric…
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Definitions
#1·Apr 27, 2026
(transitive) To run faster than.
Can a tiger outrun a lion?
For parents
"outrun" means: To run faster than.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
"outrun" means: To run faster than.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
Heard in the wild
“You’ve seen her outrun a T. Rex (in heels) and be lab partners with Spider-Man. Now, Bryce Dallas Howard is heading to FAN EXPO Denver this month. Get tickets: spr.ly/63326BBwdHp”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Not a scientist or doctor, but recognize some people will need to be on antidepressants for the rest of their lives. For me, solution entailed lengthy sabbatical, talk therapy, and journaling. Antidepressants constricted emotions, strengthened ability to outrun my shadow.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“i played outrun so much in yakuza 0 i associate this song with that instead of outrun”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Melania Trump humiliated her husband as he tries to outrun his decay: analysts www.rawstory.com/melania-trum...”
— Bluesky· May 2026“To clarify, this is something that happened in LA about 3 years ago with this person. I tried to keep my head above water for a couple years but I eventually I couldn't outrun my sadness and pain. No masking it, my hurt was manifesting on the outside so I isolated myself.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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#2·Apr 27, 2026
(skiing) In ski jumping, the flat or uphill area past the landing point, where the skier can slow down.
Heard in the wild
“Melania Trump humiliated her husband as he tries to outrun his decay: analysts www.rawstory.com/melania-trum...”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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#3·Apr 27, 2026
(transitive) To exceed or overextend.
I don't need to outrun the bear; I just need to outrun you.
Cluster: general
Heard in the wild
“I always carry a bottle of acid in my pocket so if anyone tries to attack me, I can throw it in their face. Then all I need to do is outrun them for an hour until they start tripping!”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Tom Watson on the infamous 2006 'curry house coup' against Tony Blair. "In politics, a myth with a decent headline can outrun a fact wearing running spikes." open.substack.com/pub/tomwatso...”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Set against the stark beauty of North Wales, EFFI O BLAENAU follows a young woman on the edge — where one fleeting chance at something better collides with the harsh reality she can’t outrun. Cast includes: Leisa Gwenllian In Cinemas 19 June www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKAU...”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Other words near "outrun" (O)
out-of-staterout of stationoutpadoutput areaoutrage of modestyoutreddoutscrapeoutsegoutsetteroutshootoutshopoutshot
Browse all slang words starting with O.