run away with

A feeling or thought becomes so strong that it controls your actions.

• His temper ran away with him.
• Don’t let your imagination run away with you.
• Excitement had run away with us, and we spent too much.

How to use it: something runs away with someone (Her imagination ran away with her.)

Similar words: overwhelm, get the better of

Common phrases: run away with someone, run away with you

Win a competition easily or perform much better than everyone else.

• Our team ran away with the title.
• She ran away with first prize in the singing contest.
• Will the favourite run away with the race again?

How to use it: run away with something (Their team ran away with the championship.)

Similar words: dominate, win easily

Common phrases: run away with something, run away with victory

Leave secretly with a lover, often to marry or live together without your family’s approval.

• She ran away with her boyfriend.
• He wanted to run away with his childhood sweetheart.
• Did they really run away with each other to get married?

How to use it: run away with someone (She ran away with the man she loved.)

Similar words: elope with

Common phrases: run away with someone, run away with him

Take something that belongs to someone else and escape with it.

• Someone ran away with my bag.
• The thieves ran away with all the cash.
• Did the robber run away with the jewels?

How to use it: run away with something (The thief ran away with my wallet.)

Similar words: make off with, steal

Common phrases: run away with something, run away with cash

Accept an idea too quickly and believe something that may not be true.

• Don’t run away with the idea that I agree.
• He ran away with the notion that fame would make him happy.
• You seem to have run away with the idea that we are rich.

How to use it: run away with the idea that… (Do not run away with the idea that the work is easy.)

Similar words: assume, get the wrong idea

Common phrases: run away with ideas, run away with notions