run-up

1 of 2

noun

ˈrən-ˌəp 

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

run up

2 of 2

verb

ran up; run up; running up; runs up

intransitive verb

: to grow rapidly : shoot up

transitive verb

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

Noun

After a pandemic-era run-up in prices that devastated many consumers’ finances, inflation has been curtailed dramatically. —Steve Kopack, NBC News, 29 Jan. 2025

Meanwhile, most industry groups have canceled their Grammy-week parties, making for a quieter run-up to this year’s event. —Justin Curto, Vulture, 28 Jan. 2025

Verb

The suit claims these changes resulted in his firm running up massive overruns in excess of $40 million, which put it on the verge of bankruptcy. —Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2025

Warehouses filled with unsold product, running up storage bills, and the company struggled to make payments to fishermen. —ProPublica, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

run up

verb

: to cause to pile up : accumulate

ran up a big telephone bill