noun Uncommon

runoff

Runoff (noun) means rain or irrigation water that flows off the surface of the land instead of soaking in. Example: “Farm runoff carried fertilizer into the nearby river.”

noun

Rain or irrigation water that flows off the surface of the land instead of soaking in.

"Farm runoff carried fertilizer into the nearby river."

"Heavy rain caused runoff to flood the storm drains."

An additional round of a competition or election held to settle a tie or narrow down finalists.

"The election went to a runoff after no candidate won a majority."

How to Use Runoff

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither water draining off land, or a tie-breaking extra round in a competition or election.

Common pairings

agricultural runoff a runoff election stormwater runoff

Word Forms

runoffs plural

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Farm _____ carried fertilizer into the nearby river.

Etymology

Formed from the verb phrase "run off".

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “runoff” mean?

The word “runoff” means rain or irrigation water that flows off the surface of the land instead of soaking in. In plain terms, either water draining off land, or a tie-breaking extra round in a competition or election.

How do you use “runoff” in a sentence?

Here is “runoff” used in a sentence: “Farm runoff carried fertilizer into the nearby river.”

What part of speech is “runoff”?

“Runoff” is a noun.

Is “runoff” a common word?

“Runoff” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “runoff” have?

“Runoff” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: rain or irrigation water that flows off the surface of the land instead of soaking in.