Outrun/ˌaʊtˈrʌn/ Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Physical Escape Often suggests a desperate or urgent need to avoid capture or harm. The thief managed to outrun the security guard. Pro Tip 2/3Not Literal Can be used metaphorically to mean avoiding non-physical things, like trouble. They tried to outrun their past, but it caught up with them. Pro Tip 3/3Time Sensitive Implies a race against time or a deadline. She worked hard to outrun the clock and finish her essay.