1.
to have no more of something (run out of)
“We ran out of milk.”
“I'm running out of time.”
“They ran out of money.”
Synonyms: to exhaust, to use up
Phrasal verb
What does run out mean?
Meaning: to have no more of something
B1
This page for:
Quick answer
Run out = to have no more of something. We ran out of milk = we have no milk left. The pattern is run out OF + something. It can also mean to stop being valid (a passport, a contract). It has no direct object.
Meanings of the phrasal verb
2.
to stop being valid (a passport, a contract)
common“My passport runs out next month.”
Synonyms: to expire
Word order
Inseparable
The object goes after the particle, never between the verb and the particle.
Forms
- Present Simple:
- run out
- Past Simple:
- ran out
- Past participle:
- run out
- -ing form:
- running out
Common mistakes to avoid
Run out OF + the thing
When a person has no more of something, use of + the thing. We ran out OF milk ✓ / We ran out milk ❌. Without of, the thing itself is the subject: The milk has run out ✓ (there is no milk left).
Irregular verb: ran / run
Run → ran → run. We ran out of time. We have run out of time. The past participle looks like the base form, so it is easy to make a mistake. Never runned out ❌.
Not separable
Nothing goes between run and out. The noun comes AFTER of. I ran out of money ✓.
Practice quiz
Question 1 / 3The Big Challenge question bank
Related pages: run out
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
What's next?
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Frequently asked questions
What does run out mean?+
Run out (of) means to use all of something, so you have none left. We ran out of petrol = the car had no petrol left. It can also mean to stop being valid (a passport, a subscription).
Is it run out or run out of?+
Use run out OF + the thing you no longer have. You need of before it: We ran out of ideas / time / money / food. Without of, the missing thing becomes the subject: The milk has run out (there is no milk left), Time is running out (there is not much time left).
Is run out separable?+
No, it is not separable. The noun always comes after of: run out of money ✓ / run money out ❌.
What is the past simple of run out?+
Ran out. Run → ran → run. Careful: the past participle (the form after have) is run, the same as the base form. I have run out of time = I have no time left (Present Perfect).
How do you say a passport is no longer valid?+
Say My passport runs out or My passport expires. They mean the same. Run out is more common when people speak. Expire is more formal and official.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/phrasal-verbs/run-out
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.