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 The nearest police department is located about one and a half miles from Crocus City Hall. Robyn Dixon, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024 Julian insisted on climbing back up himself before collapsing halfway in a fit of hot tears, forcing me to scoop up this sweaty 27-pound sack of potatoes and lug him a quarter mile back to the car. Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Mar. 2024 Today’s great photo is from Times photographer Brian van der Brug at the Klamath River, which has returned to its ancient channel and is flowing unhindered for the first time in more than a century through miles of waterlogged lands. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2024 Coconino County, Arizona's largest by land area, spans more than 18,600 square miles in the northern part of the state. Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 26 Mar. 2024 This example of the definitive Ferrari has had just two owners and totaled less than 2,000 miles since leaving the factory. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2024 Venture just a few blocks outside one of California’s congressional districts — there are 52 of them, spread over 1,000 miles from north to south — and a visiting lawmaker could just as well have been a member of the witness protection program. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Most of the growth has been concentrated in the northeastern part of the county, just a few miles from Walt Disney World in metro Orlando. Mike Schneider, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 After severe thunderstorm watches and warnings were in effect in Illinois during the midmorning hours Thursday, tornado watches were issued from far northern Texas into central Ohio — spanning over 1,000 miles — into the evening. Naomi Schanen, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024

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 29 Mar. 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

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