The terms "Runaway," "Runaways," or "Run Away" encompass a diverse range of meanings, from dangerous engineering phenomena to numerous works in film and literature. In engineering, they describe critical uncontrolled processes, such as runaway chemical reactions and thermal runaway leading to explosions, or even a diesel engine uncontrollably fueling itself. The film industry has extensively utilized these titles, with over two dozen films spanning from 1917 to 2018, including Ritwik Ghatak's 1958 Bengali film, the 1984 American sci-fi action film starring Tom Selleck, and The Runaways (2010) about the iconic 1970s band.

Similarly, literature features an extensive list of books and poems, dating back to Elizabeth Anna Hart's 1872 novel and Anton Chekhov's 1887 short story. Notable works also include a 1923 poem by Robert Frost and Nobel laureate Alice Munro's acclaimed 2004 short story collection, Runaway. This widespread application underscores the enduring human fascination with themes of escape, loss of control, and unpredictability across both technical and creative domains.