Word
Definitions
01distance traveled
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the total number of miles a vehicle has traveled.
n. the cumulative distance traveled by a vehicle, typically recorded on an odometer.
“The car is ten years old but it has very low mileage.”
“The high mileage on the engine suggests that the previous owner used the vehicle for long-distance commuting rather than city driving.”
Synonyms
02fuel efficiency
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun American English
n. how many miles a vehicle can travel using a specific amount of fuel.
n. the distance a vehicle can travel per unit of fuel consumed.
“I bought a smaller car because I wanted to get better mileage.”
“Hybrid vehicles typically offer superior gas mileage in stop-and-go city traffic compared to traditional internal combustion engines.”
Usage
often used with 'good' or 'bad'
Teaching tip
In British English, 'fuel consumption' or 'miles per gallon' is more common for this specific meaning.
Synonyms
03travel allowance
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Formal
n. money paid to someone for the miles they drive for work.
n. a fixed rate of compensation paid to an employee for travel expenses incurred using a personal vehicle.
“The company pays a standard mileage rate for all business trips.”
“Employees are required to submit a detailed log of their journeys to claim mileage at the end of each fiscal month.”
Synonyms
04usefulness or benefit
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Informal
n. the amount of use or advantage you can get from something.
n. the metaphorical utility, advantage, or service derived from an object, idea, or situation.
“She got a lot of mileage out of that one black dress by wearing it to every party.”
“The political campaign managed to get considerable mileage out of a single gaffe made by their opponent during the televised debate.”
Usage
often used in the phrase 'get a lot of mileage out of'
Real-World Examples
“Staff use their own vehicles and the company pays mileage at 55p per business mile.” “Espresso is a highly personal thing, and everyone’s mileage will vary when it comes to tasting it.” “By the time it did, in 1989, Habermas had gotten a great deal of mileage out of the book in its original language; indeed, it had already made him a name outside Germany.” Etymology
From mile + -age.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/mileage
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR