marathon
noun
mar·a·thon
ˈmer-ə-ˌthän 
ˈma-rə-
often attributive
1
: a footrace run on an open course usually of 26 miles 385 yards (42.2 kilometers)
broadly
: a long-distance race
2
a
: an endurance contest
b
: something (such as an event, activity, or session) characterized by great length or concentrated effort
Examples of marathon in a Sentence
We watched a marathon of our favorite movies.
Recent Examples on the Web
Long travel days, sightseeing marathons, casual dinners out—these handle all of it.
—
Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 5 Apr. 2026
His marathon coverage garnered national notice and, two years later, an offer to move to a larger market in Milwaukee.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
The teen is also a big Harry Potter fan and would love to settle in for a movie marathon.
—The Star
april 4, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
And as destination races grow in popularity, the courses offered are getting even more spectacular—the half and full marathons on this list prove it.
—Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for marathon
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Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 5 Apr. 2026
His marathon coverage garnered national notice and, two years later, an offer to move to a larger market in Milwaukee.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
The teen is also a big Harry Potter fan and would love to settle in for a movie marathon.
—The Star
april 4, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
And as destination races grow in popularity, the courses offered are getting even more spectacular—the half and full marathons on this list prove it.
—Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for marathon
Cite this Entry
“Marathon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marathon. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
marathon
noun
mar·a·thon
ˈmar-ə-ˌthän
1
a
: a long-distance footrace of 26 miles 385 yards (42.2 kilometers) that is run on an open course
b
: a race other than a footrace (as for swimmers) marked especially by great distance
2
: a long hard contest
a dance marathon
marathon
adjective
Etymology
named for Marathon, site of a battlefield in ancient Greece
Word Origin
Marathon is the name of a plain in Greece located about 26 miles (42 kilometers) from the city of Athens. It was the scene of a great victory by the Greeks over the Persians in 490 b.c. According to legend a Greek soldier named Pheidipiddes ran all the way from the battlefield to Athens to deliver the news. He reached the city, gasped out his message, and fell dead. When the modern Olympic Games began in 1896, one of the events was a footrace of 26 miles 385 yards (42.2 kilometers), called a marathon, in honor of the legendary run by Pheidipiddes.
Geographical Definition
Marathon
geographical name
Mar·a·thon
ˈmer-ə-ˌthän
ˈma-rə-
1
plain of eastern Greece in Attica northeast of Athens on the Aegean Sea
2
ancient town on the plain of Marathon
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