noun

runoff

/ˈrʌnɔːf/ · say it: RUN·awf

a second election between the top candidates

In From the Front Page

In more detail

1. (noun) water or other liquid that flows away from a surface, especially after rain

2. (noun) a second round of voting held when no candidate wins enough votes in the first election

Examples

1. Heavy rainfall caused runoff that flooded the streets.
2. The two candidates with the most votes will compete in a runoff election next week.

How to use runoff

Runoff in the environmental sense refers to water flowing over land, particularly after rainfall or irrigation, often carrying pollutants. In electoral contexts, a runoff is a supplementary election between the top candidates when none achieved a decisive majority. The word is common in both technical environmental writing and political journalism.

Common phrases

agricultural runoff
surface runoff
stormwater runoff
runoff election
runoff vote

Synonyms

drainage · outflow · overflow · second round · deciding vote

Word family

run off (phrasal verb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse the two distinct meanings and may use 'runoff' incorrectly for either voting or water contexts without recognizing their separate technical applications.

Learn it for good

Save this word in WordVale and it comes back for review right before you'd forget it — with pronunciation, real examples, and optional translations. One purchase, no subscription.

Get WordValeFREE 7-DAY TRIAL · iPHONE & iPAD