runaway
B1Neutral to Formal (as a noun), Formal/Technical (as an adjective describing processes/trends)
Definition
Meaning
A person, typically a child or teenager, who has left home or an institution without permission and with no intention of returning.
Something that is out of control or has escaped from intended constraints (e.g., a runaway process, vehicle, or inflation). Also used as an adjective to describe a decisive victory or a thing that has escaped its intended place.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a noun, it primarily refers to a person. As an adjective, it shifts meaning to describe processes, successes, or physical objects that are out of control or have moved unexpectedly. The sense of a 'decisive victory' is often found in sports/politics (runaway winner).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. The compound spelling 'runaway' is standard in both. Slight preference in UK for 'runaway' as a noun referring to a person; in US, 'fugitive' or 'escapee' might be used in more formal/legal contexts for adults.
Connotations
Shared connotation of loss of control, abandonment, and urgency. The noun form can carry a tone of pity or concern for a vulnerable person.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English in adjectival contexts (e.g., 'runaway success', 'runaway truck ramp').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[runaway + noun] (adj): runaway inflation[verb + runaway] (noun): help a runaway[be + a runaway + for/in] (noun): He was a runaway in his teens.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Runaway train (a situation out of control)”
- “Runaway with the idea (to become excessively enthusiastic about an idea)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
'Runaway costs' or 'runaway inflation' describing uncontrollable expenses.
Academic
In sociology: 'runaway youth' as a studied demographic. In economics: 'runaway inflation'.
Everyday
Referring to a missing child or an overwhelming success (e.g., 'The film was a runaway hit.').
Technical
In engineering: 'runaway reaction' (nuclear/chemical); in transport: 'runaway truck ramp'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Not applicable. The verb form is the phrasal verb 'run away'.
American English
- Not applicable. The verb form is the phrasal verb 'run away'.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable. 'Runaway' is not used as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable. 'Runaway' is not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The charity helps runaway teenagers find safe accommodation.
- The company struggled with runaway costs last quarter.
American English
- They installed a runaway truck ramp on the steep highway.
- The team became the runaway favourite to win the championship.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The girl was a runaway.
- He ran away from home.
- Police found the runaway hiding in a park.
- The new song is a runaway hit with teenagers.
- Social services provide support for runaways from difficult backgrounds.
- The government is trying to curb runaway inflation.
- The runaway success of the platform led to unprecedented scaling challenges.
- A malfunction caused a runaway reaction in the experimental reactor.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a RUNAWAY **train** – it has RUN AWAY from the driver's control.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTROL IS HOLDING / LACK OF CONTROL IS ESCAPING. A 'runaway' process is metaphorically an entity that has escaped its keeper (control).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'беглый' (which primarily means 'fluent' or 'fugitive'). 'Runaway' as an adjective is closer to 'неконтролируемый', 'бесконтрольный'. The noun is 'беглец', but specifically a young person leaving home is 'сбежавший из дома подросток/ребёнок'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'runaway' as a verb (*He runaway from home*). Correct: *He ran away from home*. 'Runaway' is a noun/adjective.
- Confusing 'runaway' (adj/noun) with the phrasal verb 'run away' (verb).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'runaway' used as an adjective describing a decisive victory?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is one word when used as a noun ('a runaway') or an adjective ('a runaway train'). The verb form is the two-word phrasal verb 'run away'.
A 'runaway' typically implies a child or teenager leaving home/care, often suggesting vulnerability. A 'fugitive' is someone fleeing from law or capture, usually an adult, and carries a stronger legal connotation.
Yes, in contexts like 'runaway success' or 'runaway bestseller', it describes something overwhelmingly positive and popular, though it retains the metaphor of being beyond normal limits or control.
It's a safety feature on steep roads (often called a 'truck escape ramp' or 'arrester bed') designed to stop large vehicles with brake failure by using an upward slope and gravel to slow them down safely.