Word.ws English Dictionary

gotten the runaround

gotten the runaround is the past participle of get the runaround.

Meaning of get the runaround

Verb

get the runaround (third-person singular simple present gets the runaround, present participle getting the runaround, simple past got the runaround, past participle (UK) got the runaround or (US) gotten the runaround)

  1. (idiomatic, informal) To be given unclear, evasive, or unhelpful information, often when seeking answers, assistance or services.
    • I began to call the INS regularly to check up on the status of my application. I got the proverbial "run-around," and this effort only confirmed my suspicion that the INS was sitting on my application.1986, Gilberto Gerald, “With My Head Held Up High”, in Joseph Beam, editor, In The Life: A Black Gay Anthology

Questions about gotten the runaround

What is gotten the runaround the past participle of?
Gotten the runaround is the past participle of get the runaround.

Words near gotten the runaround in the dictionary

  1. gotten the memo
  2. gotten the nod
  3. gotten the noggin joggin'
  4. gotten the picture
  5. gotten the point
  6. gotten the runaround
  7. gotten the sack
  8. gotten the show on the road
  9. gotten the thumb
  10. gotten the vapors
  11. gotten the wall

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: gotten the runaround (page history and authors); get the runaround (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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