treadmill
noun
tread·mill
ˈtred-ˌmil 
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
Synonyms
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
Wall Street operates on a quarterly treadmill cycle.
—
Brett Owens, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Chloe is at risk of losing her leg, and Mika’s liver is damaged so badly that Bailey has to stop all of the surgeons in the OR from fighting and run over to her treadmill desk to come up with a brilliant, cutting-edge, life-saving idea.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2024
Researchers trained rats to jog on a treadmill To scientifically measure that observation, researchers captured two dozen vampire bats from Belize and trained them to use a small treadmill typically used to measure the metabolic rates of rats.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024
Participants were asked about memory issues and walked on treadmills to assess their walking speeds.
—Angelica Stabile, Fox News, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for treadmill 
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.
Brett Owens, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Chloe is at risk of losing her leg, and Mika’s liver is damaged so badly that Bailey has to stop all of the surgeons in the OR from fighting and run over to her treadmill desk to come up with a brilliant, cutting-edge, life-saving idea.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2024
Researchers trained rats to jog on a treadmill To scientifically measure that observation, researchers captured two dozen vampire bats from Belize and trained them to use a small treadmill typically used to measure the metabolic rates of rats.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024
Participants were asked about memory issues and walked on treadmills to assess their walking speeds.
—Angelica Stabile, Fox News, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for treadmill
Dictionary Entries Near treadmill
Cite this Entry
“Treadmill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/treadmill. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
treadmill
noun
tread·mill
ˈtred-ˌmil
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
: 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share