noun

runaround

noun

Evasive or misleading treatment meant to delay or avoid giving someone a straight answer.

"Every time she called customer service, she got the runaround."

"He gave his boss the runaround instead of admitting the project was late."

How to Use Runaround

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishBeing deliberately stalled or given excuses instead of a real answer.

Common pairings

give someone the runaround get the runaround

runarounds plural

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Can you complete this real example?

Every time she called customer service, she got the _____.

Formed from the verb phrase "run around", in the sense of leading someone in circles.

pound wound sound bound found round hound mound abound ground around rebound