mileage

noun

mile·​age ˈmī-lij How to pronounce mileage (audio)
1
: an allowance for traveling expenses at a certain rate per mile
2
: aggregate length or distance in miles: such as
a
: the total miles traveled especially in a given period of time
b
: the amount of service that something will yield especially as expressed in terms of miles of travel
c
: the average number of miles a motor vehicle will travel on a gallon of gasoline that is used as a measure of fuel economy
gets good mileage
3
a
: usefulness
got a lot of mileage left in it
b
: benefit derived from something
got good political mileage from the debates

Examples of mileage in a Sentence

a car with high mileage My new car gets much better mileage than my old one did. The company has gotten a lot of mileage out of a simple idea. The movie gets a lot of mileage out of an old story.
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.
Key performance indicators, including loads per shift, revenue per shift, revenue per mile, and empty mileage percentages, have all improved. Steve Banker, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 For those who road trip often, only the first 250 miles of driving per day count towards mileage. Liz Knueven, CNBC, 30 June 2025 Several Republican state lawmakers released statements this week in opposition to mileage tax proposals proposed by Democratic members of the General Assembly. Jim Talamonti, The Washington Examiner, 28 June 2025 Tesla said that its Model S Long Range gives drivers up to 410 miles of range, with new wheel designs and a more aerodynamic car body that also add more mileage. Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for mileage

Word History

First Known Use

1724, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mileage was in 1724

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mileage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mileage. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

mileage

noun
mile·​age ˈmī-lij How to pronounce mileage (audio)
1
: an allowance for traveling expenses at a certain rate per mile
2
: distance or distance covered in miles
3
: the number of miles that something (as a tire) will travel before wearing out
4
: the average number of miles a vehicle will travel on a gallon of gasoline

More from Merriam-Webster on mileage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!