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run out of

to exhaust a supply of

In Phrasal Verbs

In more detail

1. (phrasal verb) to use up all of something so that there is none left

2. (phrasal verb) to leave a place quickly, usually without permission or before finishing something

Examples

• 1. We ran out of milk, so I need to go to the store.
• 2. The children ran out of the classroom when the bell rang.

How to use run out of

This phrasal verb is used to express the depletion of a resource or supply, typically in informal contexts. The first meaning (to exhaust a supply) is far more common than the second (to leave hastily). It often expresses a sense of having reached a limit or boundary, and pairs naturally with abstract nouns like time, patience, and luck, as well as concrete nouns like money and supplies.

Common phrases

• run out of time
• run out of money
• run out of patience
• run out of ideas
• run out of options
• run out of fuel

Synonyms

exhaust · deplete · use up · finish · consume

Opposites

replenish · restock · supply

Word family

runner · running · runs

A common mistake

Learners sometimes add the object between 'run' and 'out' (saying 'run out money of') instead of placing it after 'of', or they confuse the phrasal verb with the simpler verb 'finish' without understanding the implication of complete depletion.

Nearby in Phrasal Verbs

put up with, rule out, run into, set up, sort out, stand for

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained