run up

build up a large bill or debt quickly

B2

What does "run sth up" mean?

To run up a debt or bill means to gradually accumulate a large amount of money that you owe, usually through careless or excessive spending. It suggests that the total has grown steadily over time, often faster than the person realised or intended. The phrase carries a slightly negative tone — it implies the spending was irresponsible or at least unwise. You will often see it in news articles about companies or governments that have overspent, or in personal finance contexts where someone has lost control of their credit card or overdraft. It almost always appears alongside words like 'huge', 'massive', or 'enormous' to emphasise just how much has been accumulated.

Examples

How to use it

run up + financial object

The most common structure — the financial object (debt, bill, costs, etc.) follows 'up' unseparated, especially with longer noun phrases.

She ran up enormous credit card debts during her year abroad.

run + pronoun + up

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'run' and 'up' — placing it after 'up' is ungrammatical.

He knew the bill was growing but kept running it up anyway.

run + short noun phrase + up

Short, definite noun phrases can also be placed between 'run' and 'up', though this is less common than the unseparated form.

They ran the tab up to nearly £500 before the evening was over.

subject + run up + adjective + financial object

Size adjectives like 'huge', 'massive', or 'staggering' are very common before the object and help signal the financial sense clearly.

The startup ran up massive legal fees before the deal even closed.

how/why + did + subject + run up + financial object

Question forms are common in journalistic and conversational contexts when expressing surprise at the scale of a debt.

How did the company run up such a staggering deficit in under a year?

Common Collocations

credit card billhuge debtlarge billtabexpenseslegal fees

Common Mistakes

Pronoun placed after 'up'

When the object is a pronoun, it must come between 'run' and 'up', not after 'up'. Placing the pronoun after 'up' is ungrammatical in English.

✗ She ran up it without even noticing.
✓ She ran it up without even noticing.
Separating long noun phrases

Separation works naturally with short phrases like 'run the bill up', but with longer noun phrases it sounds unnatural. Keep longer objects after 'up' unseparated.

✗ He ran enormous and unexpected legal fees up over six months.
✓ He ran up enormous and unexpected legal fees over six months.
Confusing 'run up' with 'rack up'

'Rack up' is a close synonym but is slightly more informal and is also used for non-financial things like points or victories. 'Run up' is almost always used specifically for debts and bills, so using 'rack up' in a formal financial context may sound slightly too casual.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral in register and is used in both spoken English and written journalism. It almost always implies that the accumulation was large, fast, or irresponsible, so it carries a slightly negative tone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'run up' always imply the person was being irresponsible?

Almost always, yes — there is a strong implied connotation of carelessness or a lack of financial control. Even when the situation was genuinely unavoidable, using 'run up' tends to suggest the amount grew beyond what was planned or reasonable. If you want to describe deliberate, controlled spending, a word like 'accumulate' or 'incur' would sound more neutral.

What kinds of things can follow 'run up'?

The object is almost always a financial term — things like a debt, a bill, a tab, an overdraft, legal fees, expenses, or charges. You can also use it with a specific amount, such as 'run up £10,000 in debt'. It is not naturally used with non-financial objects in this sense, which is one way to tell it apart from other meanings of 'run up'.

Can 'run up' be used in the passive, like 'a huge debt was run up'?

It is grammatically possible, but very rare in natural English. Speakers strongly prefer an active construction with a person or organisation as the subject, such as 'they ran up a huge debt'. The passive version can sound awkward, so it is best to avoid it unless you have a specific reason to omit the subject.

Does 'run up' have other meanings I might mix up?

Yes — 'run up' can also describe moving quickly towards something (like 'she ran up the hill') or making something quickly by sewing ('he ran up a costume in an hour'). The financial sense is easy to identify because the object will always be a monetary term like a debt, bill, or fees. The other meanings are handled separately on this platform.

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

It is used in both British and American English with no significant regional restriction. You will find it in journalism, everyday conversation, and personal finance writing on both sides of the Atlantic. There is no need to avoid it in either variety.

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