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

Kupp, who was their big acquisition during the offseason along with Darnold, has a modest 414 yards and one touchdown on 31 catches through 10 games, and at age 32, perhaps mileage and injuries have finally caught up with him. —Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025

Toyota's Grand Highlander Hybrid three-row midsize hybrid SUV is another family SUV that boasts impressive gas mileage for its size (36 miles per gallon). —Charles Singh, USA Today, 25 Nov. 2025

Riders receive superior power retention, thermal management, and real-world mileage compared to typical discount-season offerings. —New Atlas, 25 Nov. 2025

Since mileage deductions can meaningfully lower taxable income, keeping clean records is essential. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 25 Nov. 2025

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