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run up on

(transitive) To approach with speed or forceful intensity.

ˈɹʌn ˈʌp ˈɑn204 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🎤 Black culture & AAVE
3 definitions
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US
#1·Apr 27, 2026US

(transitive) To approach with speed or forceful intensity.

Hey, don't run up on me like that while my back's turned...I might accidentally deck you.
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US
#2·Apr 27, 2026US

(transitive, AAVE) To hit on (somebody).

Hey, don't run up on me like that while my back's turned...I might accidentally deck you.
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US
#3·Apr 27, 2026US

(transitive, AAVE) To confront with hostility.

Hey, don't run up on me like that while my back's turned...I might accidentally deck you.
For parents

"run up on" means: To confront with hostility.. 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

"run up on" means: To confront with hostility.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. Note the regional or dialect label (AAVE) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. 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.

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🎤About Black culture & AAVE slang

Slang from Black American Vernacular English (AAVE), hip-hop, drag and ballroom culture, the Caribbean, and NYC street vocabulary. The single largest source of new mainstream English slang in living memory.

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