treadmill

noun

tread·​mill ˈtred-ˌmil How to pronounce treadmill (audio)
1
a
: a device having an endless belt on which an individual walks or runs in place for exercise or physiological testing
b
: a mill worked by an animal treading an endless belt
c
: a mill worked by persons treading on steps on the periphery of a wide wheel having a horizontal axis and used formerly in prison punishment
2
: a wearisome or monotonous routine resembling continued activity on a treadmill
the office treadmill

Examples of treadmill in a Sentence

the treadmill of exhausting family schedules the treadmill of the morning commute to work
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.
Run on my Peloton treadmill, meditate and write, and use 3D printing. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025 Another experiment found people who used their phone while walking on a treadmill had higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, afterward. Megan Sauer, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025 The resort’s gym, brand-spanking new, was filled with Technogym bikes, treadmills, and plenty of weights and space. Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 10 Oct. 2025 This is the lightest of stretches, those first few seconds of a treadmill run when the machine is barely moving. Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for treadmill

Word History

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined at sense 1c

Time Traveler
The first known use of treadmill was in 1822

Cite this Entry

“Treadmill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/treadmill. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

treadmill

noun
tread·​mill ˈtred-ˌmil How to pronounce treadmill (audio)
1
a
: a device moved by persons treading on steps set around the rim of a wide wheel or by animals walking on an endless belt
b
: a device having an endless belt on which an individual walks or runs in place for exercise or medical testing
2
: a tiring or monotonous routine

Medical Definition

treadmill

noun
tread·​mill ˈtred-ˌmil How to pronounce treadmill (audio)
: a device having an endless belt on which an individual walks or runs in place that is used for exercise and in tests of physiological functions see stress test

More from Merriam-Webster on treadmill

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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