run down

3 meanings

Meanings
  1. 1 gradually reduce something in size, activity, or quality B2
  2. 2 say bad things about someone or something, often unfairly B2
  3. 3 hit someone with a car or other vehicle B2
1 run sth down

gradually reduce something in size, activity, or quality

B2

What does "run down" mean in this sense?

To run down something means to let it gradually become smaller, weaker, or worse in quality — usually over a long period of time. This can happen through neglect, underfunding, or deliberate policy decisions. For example, a government might run down public services by cutting budgets year after year, or a company's reserves might run down if money keeps going out without being replaced. There is an important distinction between the transitive use, where someone is actively causing the decline ('the board has been running the factory down'), and the intransitive use, where the thing simply deteriorates on its own ('the infrastructure has been running down for decades'). The transitive form often carries a critical tone, implying that whoever is responsible is at fault for allowing or causing the deterioration.

Examples

How to use it

subject + run down + thing (organisation/resource/system)

The most common transitive pattern, where an agent is actively causing something to decline — often implying neglect or mismanagement.

The new owners have been running down the business since they took over.

subject + run + object + down

The separated form is very natural with short noun phrases and is especially common in spoken and journalistic English.

Critics say the government has been running the health service down for over a decade.

subject + run + pronoun + down

When using a pronoun, it must always go between the verb and the particle — it cannot follow 'down'.

The department was once thriving, but poor management ran it down completely.

thing + run down (no object)

In the intransitive form, no agent is mentioned and the decline feels like a natural or neglect-driven process.

Without regular investment, even the best infrastructure will run down eventually.

thing + be run down (passive)

The passive is common in news and business contexts when focusing on the thing that has deteriorated rather than who caused it.

The regional offices were gradually run down as the company centralised its operations.

Common Collocations

run down a businessrun down stocks/reservesrun down servicesrun down the batteryrun down the industryrun down the workforce

Common Mistakes

Using a person as the object

In this sense, the object should always be an institution, resource, or system — never a person. Using a person as the object activates a completely different meaning (to criticise someone or to hit someone with a vehicle).

✗ She felt her manager had been running her down by cutting her responsibilities.
✓ She felt her manager had been running down her department by cutting its resources.
Confusing 'run down' with 'wind down'

'Wind down' suggests a planned, orderly reduction — like closing a project neatly. 'Run down' implies gradual deterioration, often through neglect or underfunding, and frequently carries a critical tone.

✗ They decided to wind down the factory through years of underinvestment.
✓ They ran down the factory through years of underinvestment.
Confusing 'run down' with 'run out'

'Run down' describes a gradual process of decline that may not reach zero, while 'run out' means something is completely used up or finished. A battery runs down over time, but it runs out when there is nothing left.

✗ Our emergency supplies have nearly run out over the past few months of steady use.
✓ Our emergency supplies have been running down over the past few months — we need to restock soon.

Usage

This phrasal verb is especially common in British English when discussing public services, industry, or politics. The transitive form ('the government ran down the NHS') often implies blame or criticism of whoever caused the decline.

2 run sb/sth down

say bad things about someone or something, often unfairly

B2

Sense 2: What does "run sb/sth down" mean?

To run someone or something down means to criticise them in a way that is unfair, excessive, or unjustified. It often suggests that the criticism is mean-spirited or disloyal — particularly when it happens behind someone's back rather than as honest, constructive feedback. The implied meaning is that the criticism is undeserved: native speakers choose this phrase specifically when they feel someone is being too harsh or negative without good reason. It is frequently used with words like 'always' or 'constantly' to highlight that the behaviour is a persistent habit, not a one-off comment. The phrase can apply to people, ideas, organisations, or even someone's own work and achievements.

Examples

How to use it

run + object + down

The most common form with short noun objects, where the object comes between the verb and the particle.

He's always running his teammates down instead of offering useful feedback.

run + pronoun + down

When the object is a pronoun, it must always go between the verb and the particle — this is not optional.

I don't know why she keeps running them down — they've done nothing wrong.

run down + longer noun phrase

With longer or more complex noun phrases, keeping the object after the particle sounds more natural.

He spent the whole interview running down the new environmental policy introduced last year.

be run down (passive)

The passive form is natural and useful when the focus is on the person or thing being criticised rather than who is doing it.

His proposal was run down by the senior team before he even had a chance to explain it properly.

run + reflexive pronoun + down

This reflexive pattern is used when someone criticises themselves unfairly.

You need to stop running yourself down — your work is genuinely impressive.

Common Collocations

run down colleaguesrun down competitorsrun down someone's workrun down an idearun down the bossrun yourself down

Common Mistakes

Pronoun after the particle

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'run' and 'down', not after 'down'. Placing a pronoun after the particle is ungrammatical.

✗ She always runs down them in meetings.
✓ She always runs them down in meetings.
Confusing with 'put down'

'Put down' suggests direct, face-to-face humiliation, while 'run down' more often refers to persistent or behind-the-back criticism. They are not always interchangeable, so pay attention to context.

✗ He ran me down in front of everyone, calling my idea stupid to my face.
✓ He put me down in front of everyone, calling my idea stupid to my face.
Mixing up the different senses of 'run down'

The phrase 'run down' has other meanings — such as hitting someone with a vehicle or a battery losing power — which are completely unrelated. Make sure your sentence makes it clear you are talking about unfair criticism, typically by including a person or thing as the target of negative remarks.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral to informal and is common in everyday spoken English. It often appears with 'always' or 'constantly' in the continuous form to emphasise a habit: 'He's always running people down.'

3 run sb down

hit someone with a car or other vehicle

B2

Sense 3: What does "run sb down" mean?

To run someone down means to hit them with a moving vehicle, such as a car, lorry, or van. This can describe either an accident or a deliberate act — the phrasal verb itself is neutral on intent. You will encounter it frequently in news reports, police statements, and witness accounts of road accidents, often in the passive form ('was run down'). What makes this phrasal verb distinctive is that a vehicle must physically strike a person — if no one is hit, it belongs to a different meaning of 'run down'. The context is almost always serious or dramatic, given the nature of the event being described.

Examples

How to use it

subject + run down + person

The most common active pattern, where the vehicle or driver is the subject and the victim follows the particle.

A van ran down the cyclist before speeding away from the scene.

person + be run down + by + vehicle

The passive is extremely natural here, especially in news reports and official accounts where the victim is the focus.

A delivery driver was run down by a lorry while unloading goods on the pavement.

subject + run + pronoun + down

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between the verb and the particle — never after 'down'.

The car came out of nowhere and ran her down as she stepped off the kerb.

nearly / almost + run down + person

Adverbs like 'nearly' or 'almost' are very common with this phrasal verb to describe near-miss accidents.

He was nearly run down by a motorbike that jumped a red light.

run down + person + deliberately / accidentally

Adverbs clarifying intent often follow the object, reflecting that the phrasal verb itself does not specify whether the act was deliberate.

Witnesses told police that the driver had run down the pedestrian deliberately.

Common Collocations

run down a pedestrianrun down a cyclistnearly run downrun down and killedrun down by a cardeliberately run down

Common Mistakes

Confusing the two 'run someone down' meanings

Because 'run someone down' meaning to criticise and 'run someone down' meaning to hit with a vehicle look completely identical, learners need to rely entirely on context. If there is no vehicle and no physical contact, it is the 'criticise' sense.

✗ The manager is always running his staff down — he nearly ran down two of them last week in the car park, but also talks badly about them in meetings.
✓ Be aware that 'run someone down' in the car park means hitting them with a vehicle, while 'run someone down' in a meeting means criticising them. Check the context carefully.
Wrong pronoun placement

When the object is a pronoun, it must come between 'run' and 'down'. Placing the pronoun after 'down' is incorrect.

✗ The speeding car almost ran down him.
✓ The speeding car almost ran him down.
Using present simple for habitual meaning

Because of the serious and specific nature of hitting someone with a vehicle, using the present simple to describe a repeated habit sounds very unnatural. This phrasal verb works best in past tenses or in news-style narrative present.

✗ He runs down cyclists every time he drives through the city.
✓ He has run down two cyclists this year alone, according to police.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral in register and is common in both spoken accounts of accidents and written news reports. The passive form ('was run down') is especially frequent in news and police contexts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'run down' always imply that someone is to blame?

Not always, but often. In the transitive form ('the management ran down the factory'), there is usually a critical or accusatory tone — someone is responsible for the decline. In the intransitive form ('the factory has been running down'), the deterioration feels more like a natural or inevitable process, and blame is less clear.

Can I use 'run down' to talk about a battery losing charge?

Yes, this is a very natural use. You can say 'the battery is running down' (intransitive) or 'leaving the lights on will run the battery down' (transitive). It fits perfectly because a battery losing charge is exactly the kind of gradual depletion this phrasal verb describes.

Is 'run down' more common in British or American English?

Both varieties use it, but it is particularly common in British English — especially in journalism and political discussion about public services, industries, and institutions. You will often hear it in British news contexts about the NHS, public transport, or manufacturing.

Is the adjective 'run-down' related to this phrasal verb?

Yes, directly. The adjective 'run-down' (written with a hyphen) describes something that has already deteriorated — a run-down neighbourhood, a run-down building. It comes from this same sense of gradual decline through neglect or lack of investment.

Can I use the present perfect simple — for example, 'the factory has run down'?

It is grammatically possible, but less natural for this phrasal verb. Because 'run down' describes a gradual, ongoing process, the continuous forms work much better — 'the factory has been running down for years' sounds far more natural and emphasises the slow deterioration over time.

Does 'run down' always mean the criticism is unfair?

Yes — that sense of unfairness is built into the meaning. Native speakers use 'run down' specifically when they feel the criticism is undeserved, excessive, or disloyal. If the criticism is balanced and constructive, a different verb like 'criticise' would be more appropriate.

Can I use 'run down' to talk about criticising a place or an idea, not just a person?

Absolutely. You can run down an idea, a product, a company, a policy, or even a country. The key is that the criticism is seen as unfair or unjustified, regardless of whether the target is a person or a thing.

Why do I often see 'always' or 'constantly' used with 'run down'?

These adverbs are very commonly paired with 'run down' in the continuous form — for example, 'she's always running people down' — to emphasise that the behaviour is a repeated habit rather than a single occasion. This combination is particularly natural and authentic in everyday English.

Can 'run down' be used in the passive?

Yes, the passive works naturally with this sense. You might say 'the plan was constantly run down by the board' when you want to focus on what was criticised rather than who did the criticising. It's a common and correct construction.

Is 'run down' used more in British or American English?

It's used in both varieties of English without any strong regional preference. You'll encounter it in everyday spoken English, informal writing, social media, and journalism on both sides of the Atlantic.

Does 'run down' always mean to hit someone with a vehicle?

No — 'run down' has several different meanings. It can also mean to criticise someone harshly, or to describe a battery or supply losing power. The sense of hitting someone with a vehicle is only one meaning, and the context (especially the presence of a vehicle and a person being struck) is what tells you which sense is intended.

Is the passive form 'was run down' very common?

Yes, it is arguably the most frequent form in this sense. News reports and police accounts typically focus on the victim rather than the driver, which naturally leads to passive constructions like 'A woman was run down outside a school'. If you are writing about a road accident in a formal or news-style context, the passive is often the most natural choice.

What is the difference between 'run down' and 'mow down'?

'Mow down' often suggests greater violence or scale — it is more commonly used when multiple people are hit, or when there is a clear sense of deliberate intent. 'Run down' is more neutral and works equally well for accidents and deliberate acts involving a single victim. In most everyday contexts they overlap, but 'mow down' carries a stronger dramatic or violent connotation.

Can I use 'run down' to describe a vehicle hitting another vehicle?

Not naturally in this sense. 'Run down' in this meaning specifically involves a vehicle striking a person — a pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist, and so on. For collisions between vehicles, you would normally use 'crash into', 'hit', or 'collide with'.

Is 'run down' used in both British and American English?

Yes, it is used in both varieties without restriction. You will see it in British news reports, American police statements, and international English generally. There is no regional preference to worry about with this sense.

Related Phrasal Verbs

wind sb/sth down

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