Run down meaning
Run down means to lose power slowly, or make something lose power. It can also mean to say unkind things about someone or something, often unfairly.
run something down
run down · ran · run · running
My phone battery runs down really fast in the cold.
Run down meanings and examples
3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
-
1
Lose power slowly, or make something lose power
run something down
- My phone battery runs down really fast in the cold.
- Leaving the lights on will run the car battery down.
- Has the clock run down again?
-
2
Say unkind things about someone or something, often unfairly
run somebody or something down
- He’s always running down his own country.
- Stop running yourself down. You did well.
- She never runs her old boss down in interviews.
-
3
Make a business or service slowly smaller or less active
run something down
- The company is running down its factory in the north.
- They ran the shop down before they closed it.
- Why are they running down the local hospital?
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use run down in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is run down separable?
Run down is separable when it has an object: run down the battery, run the battery down, run it down. With no object, it stands alone: The battery ran down.
The adjective run-down, with a hyphen, means in bad condition (a run-down hotel) or tired and not well (I feel run-down). A rundown, one word, is a short summary.
Verb tenses for run down
| Present | I run down · she runs down |
|---|---|
| Past | ran down |
| Present perfect | have run down |
| -ing form | running down |
Common mistakes with run down
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: Don’t run down yourself like that.
Right: Don’t run yourself down like that.
A pronoun goes between run and down.
Wrong: We stayed in a very run down hotel.
Right: We stayed in a very run-down hotel.
Before a noun, the adjective has a hyphen.
Wrong: He’s always running down on his job.
Right: He’s always running down his job.
No on. The thing you criticise comes straight after run down.
Synonyms and opposites of run down
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- go flatUK; a battery has no power left
- put downsay someone is stupid or not good
- wind downslowly reduce work before it stops; also relax
Opposite
- chargeput power back into a battery
- praisesay good things about someone
- build upmake something grow bigger or stronger
Run down quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
-
1I forgot to charge my laptop, and now the battery has ___.
A battery that runs down slowly loses its power.
-
2Choose the right sentence.
A pronoun goes between run and down.
-
3“I’ve been feeling a bit run-down lately.” How does the speaker feel?
The adjective run-down can mean tired and a little ill.
More phrasal verbs with run
All phrasal verbs with run, by level, with an exercise
8 phrasal verbs start with run. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
- run out ofB1use all of something so that you have none left
- run outB1use all of something so there is none left
- run intoB2meet someone you know when you did not expect to
- run awayB2leave a person or place suddenly, often secretly, to escape
- run overC1hit someone or something with a vehicle and drive over them
- run throughB2explain, read or check something quickly from start to end
- run offB2leave a place or person suddenly, often without saying why
Run down FAQ
Questions people ask about run down.
What does run-down mean?
As an adjective it has two uses. A run-down building or area is old and in bad condition. A run-down person is tired and not well, often after working too much.
What is a rundown?
A rundown, one word, is a short summary of the main points. Can you give me a quick rundown of the meeting?
Run down vs run out: what is the difference?
Something runs down slowly, losing power over time. Something runs out when there is none left at all.
Use run down in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.