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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Two more deaths were reported when a tornado hit rural parts of Scott County, Missouri about 130 miles to the south. St. Louis resident Joan Miller had a narrow escape when a tornado struck her historic 1912 brick home and ripped away the walls. Mike Snider, USA Today, 18 May 2025 All four satellites are on their way to, or already operating in, geosynchronous orbit more than 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) over the equator. ArsTechnica, 17 May 2025 The café is less than a mile from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2025 The Las Vegas tunnel may only be 1.7 miles long at present, but even that achievement has been enough to grab the attention of Amtrak. Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for mile

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mile. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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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