1
: any of various units of distance: such as
a
: a unit equal to 5280 feet see Weights and Measures Table
2
: a race of a mile
3
: a relatively great distance, degree, or interval
usually plural
was miles ahead of them in education
sometimes used adverbially
This one is miles [=much, far] better than that one.
Phrases
a mile a minute
: with great speed
talking a mile a minute

Examples of mile in a Sentence

We passed mile after mile of beautiful scenery as we drove through the country. We traveled over miles of dirt road. The car was traveling at 70 miles per hour. We were miles from home. We still have miles to go. The beach stretched on for miles and miles.
Recent Examples on the Web During my test-drive period, the Y managed 3.4 miles per kWh on short start-stop urban trips, but nearly 4.1 miles per kWh in general including more continuous driving and some motorway speeds. James Morris, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024 Then venture onto 24 miles of trails to check out the views, or spend the day fishing. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 19 Oct. 2024 And now Pidgeon also needs to drive 22 miles to Fort Wayne, Indiana to get her monthly prescriptions from the nearest CVS pharmacy. Betty Lin-Fisher, USA TODAY, 19 Oct. 2024 The journey took him thousands of miles across land, mountain and sea before his ultimate arrival in Paris. Patrick Snell, CNN, 18 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mile 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mile.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English mīl, from Latin milia miles, from milia passuum, literally, thousands of paces, from milia, plural of mille thousand

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mile was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near mile

Cite this Entry

“Mile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mile. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

mile

noun
1
: a unit of measure equal to 5280 feet (about 1609 meters)

called also statute mile

see measure
2

More from Merriam-Webster on mile

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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