# run out

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/run-out
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to use all of something so that there is none left. You use this when a supply of food, money, or time finishes.

For teachers: to exhaust a supply of something or to reach the end of a period of validity. The verb functions intransitively when the subject is the supply itself, such as time or a resource.

## Examples

- We need to go shopping because the milk has run out.
- I was in the middle of writing my essay when the battery on my laptop ran out.
- The legal team warned that if the contract were allowed to run out without a renewal clause, the company would lose its primary distribution rights.

## Pitfalls

- Not "We ran out the coffee." but "We ran out of coffee." — When followed by an object, the phrase requires the preposition 'of' to connect the verb to the noun.

## Usage notes

- When you want to mention the item that is finished, you must add 'of' after the phrase.
- Teaching tip: Distinguish between the intransitive 'the time ran out' and the transitive-like 'we ran out of time' to help students master the prepositional requirement.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.