Run sth over Meaning & Examples: How to Use This Phrasal Verb

What Does “Run sth over” Mean?

“Run sth over” is a phrasal verb meaning to hit something or someone with a vehicle or to review or discuss something quickly.

Introduction

The phrasal verb “run sth over” has two main meanings. First, it means to accidentally hit something or someone with a car or another vehicle. Second, it means to quickly review or discuss information, like a plan or idea. Knowing the run sth over meaning helps you understand conversations in many situations. You might hear it in everyday speech, news, or work meetings. This guide explains both meanings clearly and shows how to use the phrase correctly.

Quick Info Box

• Phrasal verb: run something over
• Type: transitive
• Level: B2
• Short meaning: to hit with a vehicle; to review or discuss quickly

Structure (Grammar Rules)

“Run sth over” is a separable phrasal verb. You can place the object either between “run” and “over” or after “over.”

• run + object + over (e.g., run the report over)
• run over + object (e.g., run over the report)

Both forms are correct, but putting the object between the verb and particle is more common when the object is short.

How to Use Run sth over?

Use “run sth over” in two main contexts:

• Accidentally hitting: When a vehicle hits someone or something.
• Reviewing or discussing: When you quickly check or go through information, like a plan or list.

In spoken English, the meaning depends on the situation. For example, in a meeting, “Let’s run the agenda over” means to review it. On the street, “He ran over a dog” means he accidentally hit it with a car.

Examples

Here are some natural sentences using “run sth over” in both meanings:

• We need to run the report over before the meeting.
• She ran over the list of tasks quickly.
• The driver accidentally ran over a small animal.
• Can you run over the main points again?
• He was very upset because he ran over his neighbor’s mailbox.

These examples show how to use “run sth over in a sentence” clearly and naturally.

Common Mistakes

People often confuse the object placement or the meaning of “run sth over.”

• Incorrect: I will run over the plan tomorrow. (Without object placement, it sounds incomplete.)
• Correct: I will run the plan over tomorrow.
• Incorrect: She run over the dog. (Wrong verb form)
• Correct: She ran over the dog.

Make sure to use the past form “ran” for past events and place the object correctly.

Differences / Synonyms

“Run sth over” can be confused with similar phrasal verbs:

• Go over: means to review or check carefully. It is similar but usually slower and more detailed than “run over.”
• Hit: means to strike something but does not include the meaning of reviewing or discussing.
• Knock over: means to cause something to fall, not necessarily with a vehicle.

Use “run sth over” when you want to express a quick review or hitting with a vehicle.

Common Collocations

Some objects often used with “run sth over” include:

• Report: to review a report quickly
• Plan: to discuss a plan briefly
• List: to check a list fast
• Animal or object: when accidentally hitting with a vehicle
• Agenda: to quickly go through meeting points

These collocations help you understand when and how to use the phrase effectively.

Related Phrasal Verbs

Here are related phrasal verbs of run sth over:

• Run To Sb
• Run Around After Sb
• Run On Sth
• Run Into Sth
• Run Sth In

Real-life Dialogue

Here is a short conversation using “run sth over”:

Anna: Can we run the presentation over one more time?

Mark: Sure, let’s run it over quickly before the meeting.

Anna: Great! I want to make sure everything is clear.

Practice

Try filling in the blanks with the correct form of “run sth over”:

• Before the exam, let’s ______ the main topics again.
• The driver ______ over a bicycle on the road yesterday.
• Can you ______ the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting?
• He accidentally ______ the mailbox with his car.

FAQ

• What does “run sth over” mean? It means to hit something with a vehicle or to review something quickly.
• Is “run sth over” separable? Yes, you can put the object between “run” and “over” or after “over.”
• Can I use “run over” without an object? Usually, you need an object to complete the meaning.
• What is the past tense of “run over”? The past tense is “ran over.”
• How is “run over” different from “go over”? “Run over” means a quick review or hitting with a vehicle, while “go over” means a detailed review.