mileage

noun mile·age \ ˈmī-lij \

|Updated on: 23 Jun 2018

Definition of mileage

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

See mileage defined for English-language learners

See mileage defined for kids

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 of mileage from the Web

A decade ago, the state faced similar scrutiny following revelations that state lawmakers for years had received a per diem for mileage, meals, and other expenses.

— kay lazar, BostonGlobe.com, "Despite warning, MassDOT continued toll-free perk for workers, retirees," 8 June 2018
To track mileage, and to get the car back if someone defaults on payment, some services install GPS trackers.

— carroll lachnit, edmunds, USA TODAY, "To buy or not to buy? Car subscriptions offer alternative for new car shoppers," 4 May 2018
And then a quick explanation of the merits of the boxer engine: the fuel mileage, the surprising power.

— david gilbert, The New Yorker, "Fungus," 4 June 2017
Every activity recommendation includes detailed trip reports, trail descriptions, packing lists, mileage, and suggested skill level, all written and submitted by app users local to the area.

— janna irons, Outside Online, "The Best (Free) Road Trip Apps," 6 June 2018
Legislators receive a per diem for mileage, meals, and other expenses.

— kay lazar, BostonGlobe.com, "How many state employees get tax-free perks? Officials are on a hunt to find out," 4 June 2018
David Ballard of Reston, Va., has gotten a lot of mileage, literally, out of the oldest garment in his collection: a very 1970s polo shirt purchased in 1976.

— john kelly, Washington Post, "Don we now our old apparel: Readers share stories of favorite garments," 30 May 2018
Until this change in the tax code, eligible unreimbursed expenses included items such as tools, computers, uniforms, mileage, industry conferences, professional memberships, continuing education — and the cost of maintaining a home office.

— elisabeth leamy, chicagotribune.com, "Working remotely from a home office? You just lost a tax break," 29 May 2018
State policy allows employees to be reimbursed for mileage, meals and lodging related to state business.

— craig harris, azcentral, "State Parks 'suspended' request for staff to do extra work for no pay," 25 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mileage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of mileage

1724

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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mileage Synonyms

MILEAGE Defined for English Language Learners

mileage

noun

Definition of mileage for English Language Learners

: distance in miles
: distance traveled in miles by a vehicle
: the average number of miles a vehicle will travel on a gallon of gasoline

MILEAGE Defined for Kids

mileage

noun mile·age \ ˈmī-lij \

Definition of mileage for Students

1 : distance in miles

What's the mileage from here to Chicago?

2 : distance covered or traveled in miles

This car has a lot of mileage.

3 : the average number of miles a car or truck will travel on a gallon of fuel

4 : an amount of money given for traveling expenses at a certain rate per mile

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See words that rhyme with mileage Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for mileage Spanish Central: Translation of mileage Nglish: Translation of mileage for Spanish speakers

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mileage

Definition of mileage

Examples of mileage in a Sentence

Recent Examples of mileage from the Web

First Known Use of mileage

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MILEAGE Defined for English Language Learners

mileage

Definition of mileage for English Language Learners

MILEAGE Defined for Kids

mileage

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