run rampant
To go unchecked or without control; to be wild or excessive.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Weeds run rampant in the garden if you never pull them.”
“The manager worried that rumors would run rampant through the office before the official announcement.”
“Without any clear leadership or established rules, confusion and disorder began to run rampant throughout the entire organization.”
- 01
break into a run
To start running.
- 02
common run
Ordinary persons, things, or events.
- 03
dry run
A practice or rehearsal; especially, one that goes through all the motions of a physical process but without the raw material or workpiece present.
- 04
dummy run
A trial or practice before the real attempt.
- 05
good run
Success over an extended period.
- 06
hit and run
A road accident in which a driver hits someone and then drives away without stopping to help or take responsibility.
- 07
hold with the hare and run with the hounds
To oppose an action or behavior and yet engage in the same action or behavior; to be a hypocrite.
- 08
learn to walk before one can run
Before one can perform a complicated task, one has to learn how to perform more simple tasks.
Last updated August 10, 2026