run·down
ˈrən-ˌdau̇n 
1
: an item-by-item report or review : summary
2
: a play in baseball in which a base runner who is caught off base is chased by two or more opposing players who throw the ball from one to another in an attempt to tag the runner out
ran down; run down; running down; runs down
1
a
: to collide with and knock down
b
: to run against and cause to sink
2
a
: to chase to exhaustion or until captured
b
: to trace the source of
c
: to tag out (a base runner) between bases on a rundown
3
1
: to cease to operate because of the exhaustion of motive power
the clock ran down
2
: to decline in physical condition or vigor
Synonyms
Noun
- abstract
- breviary
- brief
- capsule
- conspectus
- digest
- encapsulation
- epitome
- inventory
- outline
- précis
- recap
- recapitulation
- résumé
- resume
- resumé
- roundup
- run-through
- sum
- sum-up
- summa
- summarization
- summary
- summing-up
- synopsis
- wrap-up
Adjective
- beat-up
- bombed-out
- dilapidated
- dog-eared
- down-at-the-heels
- down-at-heel
- down-at-the-heel
- down-at-heels
- dumpy
- grungy
- mangy
- mean
- miserable
- moth-eaten
- neglected
- ratty
- scrubby
- scruffy
- seedy
- shabby
- sleazy
- tacky
- tatterdemalion
- tatty
- threadbare
- timeworn
- tumbledown
Verb
Examples of rundown in a Sentence
Noun
They gave us a rundown on the main points of the news.
a rundown of our public services
He was caught in a rundown.
Adjective
a run-down old house that really should be torn down
I'm afraid I'll be staying home today as I'm feeling run-down
Verb
finally ran down the answer after hours of research
constantly running down the city's cultural life won't do anything to improve it
Recent Examples on the Web
Louis Jacobson, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
Here's a rundown of which vaccines children and adults should get for pertussis, according to the Milwaukee Health Department:
Children should receive five doses of the DTaP vaccine between two months and 6 years.
—Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Nov. 2024
For the past year, Moises has lived with his wife and their twelve-year-old daughter in a run-down apartment at a red brick housing complex in Aurora, Colorado, a suburb of Denver.
—The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
Melvin Backman, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
In the end, Manchester United was able to run down the remainder of the clock, end its six-year trophy wait – the club’s longest wait for a major trophy since 1983 – and possibly usher in a new era at the club.
—Ben Church, CNN, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rundown 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Here’s a rundown of six notable moments, fact-checked.
—Louis Jacobson, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
Here's a rundown of which vaccines children and adults should get for pertussis, according to the Milwaukee Health Department:
Children should receive five doses of the DTaP vaccine between two months and 6 years.
—Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Here is a run-down of the key races to watch as results start coming in tonight.
—Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Nov. 2024
For the past year, Moises has lived with his wife and their twelve-year-old daughter in a run-down apartment at a red brick housing complex in Aurora, Colorado, a suburb of Denver.
—The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
Verb
Quartz’s Rocio Fabbro runs down Powell’s limited chatter about it.
—Melvin Backman, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
In the end, Manchester United was able to run down the remainder of the clock, end its six-year trophy wait – the club’s longest wait for a major trophy since 1983 – and possibly usher in a new era at the club.
—Ben Church, CNN, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rundown
Articles Related to rundown
Dictionary Entries Near rundown
Cite this Entry
“Rundown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rundown. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rundown
1 of 3 noun
run·down
ˈrən-ˌdau̇n
: an item by item report : summary
run-down
2 of 3 adjectiveˈrən-ˈdau̇n
1
: being in poor condition
a run-down farm
2
: being in or indicating poor health
that run-down feeling
run down
3 of 3 verbˈrən-ˈdau̇n
1
: to collide with and knock down
2
a
: to chase until exhausted or captured
b
: to find by search : trace the source of
3
: to stop operating because of the exhaustion of an energy source
the battery ran down
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