had run around

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had run around" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an action that was completed in the past, often indicating a sense of movement or activity that occurred before another past event. Example: "By the time the meeting started, she had run around the office gathering all the necessary documents."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

But to Djokovic's horror, Isner had run around the return during the service motion and moved outside the doubles alley to hit a forehand return.

The New York Times

McMahon, known as Bennie the Bum, was forty-one and had run around with the late Legs Diamond when Diamond was a young package thief.

The New Yorker

Since Ye was last in the pool, the doubts raised by the US coach John Leonard about her performance in the final of the 400m Individual Medley had run around the world, fuelling a furious debate.

The Guardian - Sport

It was as if the clerks were having a dinner party and, like me, they had run around 10 minutes before guests arrived, shoving things in the corners and putting up mood lighting.

The New York Times

Cynthia Chandler-Snell and her mother, Barbara Hobock, lawyers who practice together in Humboldt, Tenn., popped pretzels while regaling us with tales of the marathons they had run around the country, the latest in Hawaii.

The New York Times - Travel

Rich, before the flight, had run around the airport trying to find a way to change his dollars into krona.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

"I must have run around like that for hours.

The New Yorker

"He seems to have run around better this week than other weeks," Coughlin said.

The New York Times - Sports

I have a wildly physical daughter with whom I have run around and roughhoused from her earliest years.

The New Yorker

" 'Do you know who you had running around the halls looking for me?

The New York Times - Books

"After the sending off we went 4-3-2 buthey timetime we had ran around trying to regain the ball we couldn't retain it.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had run around" to describe a past action emphasizing movement or activity completed before another event. For instance, "Before the guests arrived, she had run around making final preparations".

Common error

Avoid shifting tenses inconsistently. Ensure the past perfect tense ("had run around") aligns with the surrounding narrative's timeline. For example, don't follow "had run around" with a simple present tense verb without a clear reason.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had run around" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense. It describes an action of moving about or being active that was completed before another action in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is a standard usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

50%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had run around" is a grammatically sound verb phrase in the past perfect tense, used to describe an action of movement or activity completed before another event in the past. It's considered correct, as validated by Ludwig. While not exceedingly common, the phrase appears in various contexts, particularly in news and media as well as wiki sources. When writing, ensure that the use of "had run around" aligns with the intended timeline and is consistent with the surrounding narrative's tense. Alternative phrases like "had raced around" or "had scurried around" can add nuance depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had raced around

Emphasizes speed and urgency of movement.

had scurried around

Suggests quick, hurried movement, often due to nervousness or fear.

had dashed about

Implies energetic and hurried movement in various directions.

had wandered about

Suggests aimless or casual movement.

had roamed around

Indicates a more extensive and less purposeful movement over a larger area.

had milled around

Implies a slow, undirected movement, often in a group.

had messed about

Suggests undirected activity or goofing off.

had been active

Represents the general activity done in the past.

had circulated

Implies movement of something among many people or places.

had toured

Expresses the completion of a tour in the past.

FAQs

How can I use "had run around" in a sentence?

Use "had run around" to describe an action completed in the past before another past event. For example, "By the time the meeting started, she "had run around" the office gathering documents".

What are some alternatives to "had run around"?

Alternatives include phrases like "had raced around", "had scurried around", or "had dashed about", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "had ran around" instead of "had run around"?

No, the correct form is "had run around". "Run" is the past participle of the verb "run", not "ran".

What's the difference between "had run around" and "ran around"?

"Had run around" (past perfect) describes an action completed before another past action. "Ran around" (simple past) simply describes an action in the past without specifying its relation to another past action.