Run Out of – Meaning and Examples

Have you ever reached for milk only to find the carton empty? Or typed furiously on your laptop—only for the battery to die at 1%? In English, you’d say you ran out of milk or battery! This everyday phrasal verb means to use up all of something so that none is left.

What Does “Run Out of” Mean?

“Run out of” means to have no more of something because it has all been used, spent, or consumed. Think of it like an hourglass: when the last grain of sand falls, time has run out. The phrase isn’t about running physically—it’s about depletion, whether it’s time, money, supplies, or patience.

When to Use It

Use this phrase in casual or neutral conversations with friends, family, or coworkers when talking about shortages. It’s common in daily life—cooking (“We ran out of sugar”), travel (“The car ran out of gas”), work (“We’re running out of time”), or emotions (“I’ve run out of patience”). This phrasal verb is informal but universally understood—great for real-life English.

Example Sentences

We ran out of coffee this morning—total emergency!
Don’t wait too long to apply—you’ll run out of time.
She ran out of ideas halfway through the project.
The phone died because I ran out of battery.

Mini Dialogue

Alex: “Why are you going to the store at midnight?”

Jamie: “We ran out of toilet paper. It’s a crisis!”

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don’t confuse “run out of” with “run out.” “Run out” (without “of”) is intransitive and often needs a context (“The milk ran out”), but “run out of” is transitive and must be followed by the thing that’s gone (“We ran out of milk”).

❌ Don’t say: “We ran out coffee.” (Missing “of”!)
✅ Do say: “We ran out of coffee.”

Practice Tip

Next time you finish the last slice of bread or hit a deadline, say: “I ran out of bread” or “We’re running out of time.” It’s a natural way to describe depletion in English.

Final Note

Now you can use “run out of” to talk about shortages with clarity and realism! It’s a practical phrase that reflects the everyday truth: everything runs out eventually. Keep using it—and maybe keep a backup roll of toilet paper just in case!

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