runaround — evasive or deliberately unhelpful treatment, especially in response to a request
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: evasive or deliberately unhelpful treatment, especially in response to a request
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈrʌnəˌraʊnd/
Example Sentences
- After three hours on the phone, all I got was the runaround from five different departments.
- The waiter gave us the runaround about our missing pizza for so long that we forgot we were hungry.
- Stop giving me the runaround and just tell me where you hid my chocolate!
runaround
NOUN[/ˈrʌnəˌraʊnd/]
evasive or deliberately unhelpful treatment, especially in response to a request
Every office she visited gave her the runaround instead of a real answer.
Getting the runaround at the playground background
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
A phrasal verb expression that emerged in early 20th-century American English, derived from 'run around' (to move hastily in various directions). The literal sense of causing someone to run about aimlessly evolved into the figurative meaning of evasion, delay, or deliberate avoidance of a direct answer or commitment.
Breakdown
run (to move quickly) + around (in various directions or in circles) = to cause someone to move about aimlessly or inefficiently, hence to evade, delay, or give evasive treatment.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“After three hours on the phone, all I got was the runaround from five different departments.”
“The waiter gave us the runaround about our missing pizza for so long that we forgot we were hungry.”
“Stop giving me the runaround and just tell me where you hid my chocolate!”
“The insurance company's runaround tactics only made the claim process more frustrating.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.