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The denotative meaning of a word is its exact, literal dictionary definition. When you use a word that has one dictionary definition (and that is not overly technical), you can usually expect that your audience will understand what you mean. But many words have several dictionary definitions. In these cases, you may need to take steps to avoid confusion.

Consider the word run. According to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, run has numerous definitions. It can be a verb meaning “to go faster than a walk,” a noun meaning “an unbroken course of performance” (such as “a good run of profits this year”), and an adjective meaning “being in a melted state” (for instance, “runs like butter”). Suppose you wanted to use the word run in a speech to refer to a successful series of victories by your school’s track team. If you said, “We’ve had a great run this season,” your listeners may wonder if you’re referring to a specific race or to a string of victories scored by the team against opponents during the season. In this case, you may want to avoid the risk of confusing your audience by saying instead, “We’ve consistently trounced the competition during this season.”