mileage

noun

mile·​age ˈmī-lij 

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

Synonyms of mileage

• use
• usefulness
• avail
• utility

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

Experts have said there are a number of ways to improve one’s gas mileage, including something as simple as slowing down. — Alexa St. John, Fortune, 16 July 2026

Thanks to some painful moments at the pump in the first half of 2026, the IRS took the unusual step of initiating a new standard mileage rate for the second half of the year. — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 16 July 2026

The best way to improve fuel mileage is proper maintenance, driving at a steady speed, and accelerating and braking gently. — John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs and Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast, Hartford Courant, 11 July 2026

Each entry includes trail descriptions, mileage, elevation gain, difficulty ratings, seasonal considerations, full-color maps, and practical planning advice. — Bailey Berg, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1724, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mileage

• mileage allowance

Rhymes for mileage

• silage

Kids Definition

mileage

noun

mile·​age ˈmī-lij 

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