Get the runaround 🏃➡️🔄

Meaning

To be deliberately put off or misled, especially by those who are responsible for dealing with you.

Origin

Imagine a frustrating chase scene, perhaps in an old silent film. That's essentially where this phrase likely sprung from. Back in the day, 'runaround' was used to describe a confusing, evasive maneuver, like a runner in a race deliberately circling around to avoid their pursuers. When faced with a problem or a question, people might have found themselves being passed from one person to another, each offering no real solution, just more evasiveness. This frustrating dance, this 'runaround,' became the perfect metaphor for being deliberately stalled and misled by officials, bureaucrats, or anyone trying to avoid responsibility.

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Get the runaround represented with emoji🏃➡️🔄

This playful sequence functions as a whimsical riddle, inviting us to decipher the relationship between motion, direction, and repetition. It teaches the viewer not just the literal translation of 🏃➡️🔄, but also the underlying feeling of being playfully led in circles, evoking a sense of lighthearted confusion.

Examples

  • I called the company three times, but they just kept giving me the runaround.
  • The politician promised action, but his constituents felt they were getting the runaround.
  • My pet squirrel tried to get the runaround from the postman for a free nut, but the postman was too quick.
  • The wizard tried to get the runaround from the enchanted lock, but it insisted on a proper riddle first.

Frequently asked questions

Is 'get the runaround' a slang term or a formal idiom?

'Get the runaround' is considered an idiom, not slang, though it's often used in informal contexts. Idioms are phrases whose meaning isn't deducible from the individual words, and this phrase fits that definition perfectly, conveying a sense of frustrating evasion.

What's the opposite of 'get the runaround'?

The opposite of 'get the runaround' is to receive a direct answer or resolution for your issue. This could be described as 'getting straight answers,' 'being put directly on the case,' or 'having your problem sorted out immediately'.

Can you 'get the runaround' from a machine or automated system?

While the phrase historically implies human evasion, a frustrating automated phone system or a poorly designed website could metaphorically 'give someone the runaround.' This happens when the system leads you in circles without providing a solution, mimicking the evasive tactics of a person.

Is there a connection between 'get the runaround' and sports?

The phrase's origin is inspired by evasive maneuvers, potentially in a sporting context like a chase or a race where a runner might deliberately circle to avoid capture. This visual of being led around without progress directly influenced the idiom's meaning of being deliberately misled.

Similar to "get the runaround"

Be sent from pillar to post
Both phrases describe being passed around endlessly, but 'sent from pillar to post' emphasizes the physical movement and disorientation of being shuffled between different people or departments, while 'get the runaround' focuses more on the deliberate evasion and misleading tactics used
Stonewall
This phrase shares the sense of obstruction with 'get the runaround,' but 'stonewall' implies a more direct and unyielding refusal to cooperate or provide information, whereas 'get the runaround' suggests a more evasive, circuitous method of avoidance
Be given the brush-off
While both phrases capture a sense of being dismissed, 'given the brush-off' implies a quicker, more curt rejection, often implying rudeness, whereas 'get the runaround' suggests a prolonged, frustrating experience of being intentionally stalled or misled

Opposite of "get the runaround"

Get straight to the point
This argues for directness and efficiency, the very antithesis of the evasive tactics in 'get the runaround,' making the contrast striking because it champions transparency where the other thrives on opacity
Be dealt with expeditiously
This champions swift and effective resolution, directly challenging the frustrating delays and lack of progress inherent in 'getting the runaround,' and it’s interesting because it highlights what happens when responsible parties actually prioritize solving problems rather than avoiding them
Have matters resolved promptly
This proposes a world where issues are settled quickly and competently, standing in stark contrast to the deliberate obfuscation of 'getting the runaround,' and the tension lies in the ideal of efficient problem-solving versus the reality of bureaucratic inertia

Related to "get the runaround"

Hit a brick wall
This phrase shares the sense of frustration and lack of progress with 'get the runaround,' stemming from an encounter with an unyielding obstacle, though it implies a sudden, insurmountable block rather than a prolonged series of evasive maneuvers
Spin one's wheels
Like 'get the runaround,' this evokes a feeling of wasted effort and being stuck in place, but it focuses on the internal experience of unproductive activity rather than the external actions of those deliberately causing the delay
Lose face
While 'get the runaround' is about the experience of the person being misled, 'lose face' is often the consequence for the person or entity that employs such deceptive tactics, highlighting the potential damage to reputation that comes from these evasive behaviors
Red tape
This phrase describes the excessive bureaucracy and procedural hurdles that often give rise to the experience of 'getting the runaround,' linking the abstract concept of administrative obstruction to the concrete feeling of being deliberately stalled