run into

/rən ˈɪntu/

/rən ˈɪntu/

Other forms: ran into; running into; runs into

When you run into someone, you either physically bump against them, or you unexpectedly encounter them. Your bike might run into a mailbox, and as you limp slowly home, you may run into your sister.

If a car runs into a telephone pole, there are bound to be injuries — to the car and the pole, if not to the driver and passengers. But if you run into your best friend from kindergarten when you're visiting Disney World, it's much more pleasant. You can also run into problems or delays: "We're bound to run into difficulties when we try to build the world's largest gingerbread house."

Definitions of run into

1. verb

   collide violently with an obstacle
   “I ran into the telephone pole”

   synonyms: bump into, butt against, jar against, knock against

   type of:

   collide with, hit, impinge on, strike

   hit against; come into sudden contact with
2. verb

   hit against; come into sudden contact with
   synonyms: collide with, hit, impinge on, strike

   strike, zonk

   deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon

   types:

   stub

   strike (one's toe) accidentally against an object

   ping

   hit with a pinging noise

   bang, spang

   leap, jerk, bang

   rear-end

   collide with the rear end of

   broadside

   collide with the broad side of

   connect

   land on or hit solidly

   spat

   strike with a sound like that of falling rain

   thud

   strike with a dull sound

   bottom

   strike the ground, as with a ship's bottom

   bottom out

   hit the ground

   bump, knock

   knock against with force or violence

   bump into, butt against, jar against, knock against

   collide violently with an obstacle

   clash, collide

   crash together with violent impact

   glance

   hit at an angle

   smash

   collide or strike violently and suddenly

   shock

   collide violently

   crash, ram

   undergo damage or destruction on impact

   type of:

   touch

   make physical contact with, come in contact with
3. verb

   come together
   synonyms: come across, encounter, meet, run across, see

   assemble, foregather, forgather, gather, meet

   collect in one place

   types:

   cross, intersect

   meet at a point

   cross

   meet and pass
4. verb

   be beset by
   “The project ran into numerous financial difficulties”

   synonyms: encounter

   type of:

   be

   have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)