1
: the act of running up something
2
: a usually sudden increase in volume or price
3
: a period immediately preceding an action or event
ran up; run up; running up; runs up
: to grow rapidly : shoot up
1
: bid up
2
: to stitch together quickly
3
: to erect hastily
4
: to achieve by accumulating
ran up a big lead
Examples of run-up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Samantha Conti, WWD, 24 Jan. 2025
Even though there's no question that anthropogenic climate change has played a major role in the current run-up of the global mean sea level, some of the most histrionic predictions about pending inundations have mercifully remained just that.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
For something portable, their wireless facial humidifier runs up to eight hours on a single charge and comes in five fun pastel shades.
—Anna Haines, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for run-up 
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Noun
In the three-month run-up to Christmas, Burberry reported a 7 percent decline in third-quarter retail revenue to 659 million pounds, helped by a 4 percent uptick in the Americas region and the popularity of outerwear and scarves.
—Samantha Conti, WWD, 24 Jan. 2025
Even though there's no question that anthropogenic climate change has played a major role in the current run-up of the global mean sea level, some of the most histrionic predictions about pending inundations have mercifully remained just that.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
Getting run up on by the middling Blues and lowly Blackhawks is definitely dispiriting.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
For something portable, their wireless facial humidifier runs up to eight hours on a single charge and comes in five fun pastel shades.
—Anna Haines, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for run-up
Dictionary Entries Near run-up
Cite this Entry
“Run-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/run-up. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
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