milestone

noun

mile·​stone ˈmī(-ə)l-ˌstōn How to pronounce milestone (audio)
Synonyms of milestonenext
1
: a stone serving as a milepost (see milepost sense 1)
2
: a significant point in development
Graduating from college was an important milestone in her life.

Illustration of milestone

Illustration of milestone
  • milestone 1

Examples of milestone in a Sentence

the new drug was regarded as a milestone in the treatment of heart disease
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.
The Dow reaching 50,000 is an amazing milestone, Silverblatt said. John Towfighi, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026 Public relationship milestones may arrive—engagements, breakups, or defining conversations that put love front and center. Christina Pérez, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2026 Malaysia and Vietnam hit domestic production milestones last year and Indonesia, like Singapore, recently announced plans to expand current operations. ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026 The Legislature’s goal of getting to that cleaner future by 2040, with real milestones by 2030, is not realistic and will punish working families with ever increasing costs. Robert Duffy, New York Daily News, 16 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for milestone

Word History

First Known Use

1662, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of milestone was in 1662

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Milestone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/milestone. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

milestone

noun
mile·​stone ˈmī(ə)l-ˌstōn How to pronounce milestone (audio)
1
: a milepost made of stone
2
: an important point in progress or development

More from Merriam-Webster on milestone

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster