mile

noun

ˈmī(-ə)l 

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

• infinity
• long haul

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

Within minutes, the utility dispatched the nearest crew, which was 26 miles away, to confirm the lines were de-energized. —Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2026

The Blue Line is an area spanning 120 kilometers (around 75 miles) along southern Lebanon that acts as a de-facto border between the two countries. —Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026

Tahoe City is about 115 miles northeast of Sacramento. —Don Sweeney april 28, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026

Parkwood High is about a 30-mile drive southeast from uptown Charlotte. —Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026

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

Phrases Containing mile

• air mile
• a mile a minute
• country mile
• go the extra mile
• last mile
• mile-high club
• nautical mile
• pound mile
• sea mile
• stand/stick out a mile
• statute mile
• three-mile limit

Rhymes for mile

• aisle
• bile
• chyle
• file
• guile
• heil
• isle
• kyle
• pile
• rile
• smile
• stile

Kids Definition

mile

noun

ˈmī(ə)l 

1

: a unit of measure equal to 5280 feet (about 1609 meters)

called also statute mile

see measure

2

: nautical mile