mile

noun

ˈmī(-ə)l How to pronounce mile (audio)
Synonyms of milenext
1
: any of various units of distance: such as
a
: a unit equal to 5280 feet see Weights and Measures Table
b
: nautical mile
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.
see also:
a mile a minute

Synonyms of mile

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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.
About the swamp A big, big place The Okefenokee Swamp is vast, 438,000-440,000 acres spanning about 700 square miles mostly in Charlton, Ware and Clinch counties in Georgia‘s southeast corner. — Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 25 July 2026 Roads near the 1,084-kilometer-long (673-mile-long) border are covered for long distances by anti-drone netting. — ABC News, 25 July 2026 The earthquake's epicenter was roughly 7 miles east-southeast of Gilroy and occurred at a depth of 3 miles. — Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2026 Previous court filings state that D4vd sent a car to pick up Celeste the night of April 23, 2025, from her hometown, Lake Elsinore, California, 80 miles outside Los Angeles. — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 25 July 2026 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

Phrases Containing mile

Rhymes for mile

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Browse Nearby Words

mild streak
mile
mileage
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Cite this Entry

“Mile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mile. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mile

noun
ˈmī(ə)l How to pronounce mile (audio)
1
: a unit of measure equal to 5280 feet (about 1609 meters)

called also statute mile

see measure
2
: nautical mile

More from Merriam-Webster on mile

Nglish: Translation of mile for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mile

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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