What does "marathon" mean?
A 42.195-kilometre (26-mile-385-yard) road race.
Marathon
/ˈmæɹəˌθɑn/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A 42.195-kilometre (26-mile-385-yard) road race.
- Grammar: marathon is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: air race, arduous undertaking, arica movement, assertiveness training.
- Useful contrasts: brief, instant result, quick task.
- Usage evidence: The doctor forbade me from taking part in the marathon.
How to use "marathon"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "marathon" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "marathon" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "marathon" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "marathon" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "marathon" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "air race" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "marathon", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A 42.195-kilometre (26-mile-385-yard) road race.
- 2 Former name of Snickers (“chocolate bar brand”).
- 3 any long and arduous undertaking wordnet
- 4 Any extended or sustained activity. broadly, figuratively
"He had a cleaning marathon the night before his girlfriend came over."
- 5 a footrace of 26 miles 385 yards wordnet
Verb
- 1 To run a marathon. intransitive
"In less than two years, they and their family and friends have skydived, marathoned, tray-baked and dinner-danced their way to £130,000 for Duchenne research through their help4harry campaign."
- 2 To watch or read a large number of instalments of (a film, book, TV series, etc.) in one sitting. informal, transitive
"We're going to marathon Star Trek next weekend."
Proper Noun
- 1 A town in Attica, Greece, the site of the victory in 490 BC of heavily outnumbered Athenians against Persians.
- 2 A place name elsewhere in the world:; A rural town in the Shire of Flinders, northern Queensland, Australia.
- 3 A place name elsewhere in the world:; A town in Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada.
- 4 A place name elsewhere in the world:; A number of places in the United States:; A city in the Florida Keys, Monroe County, Florida.
- 5 A place name elsewhere in the world:; A number of places in the United States:; A minor city in Buena Vista County, Iowa.
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 A place name elsewhere in the world:; A number of places in the United States:; A township in Lapeer County, Michigan.
- 7 A place name elsewhere in the world:; A number of places in the United States:; A town and village therein, in Cortland County, New York.
- 8 A place name elsewhere in the world:; A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Jackson Township, Clermont County, Ohio.
- 9 A place name elsewhere in the world:; A number of places in the United States:; A census-designated place in Brewster County, Texas.
- 10 A place name elsewhere in the world:; A number of places in the United States:; A town in Marathon County, Wisconsin.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The doctor forbade me from taking part in the marathon."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "marathon"?
Common synonyms include: air race, arduous undertaking, arica movement, assertiveness training, automobile race, battle.
How do you use "marathon" in a sentence?
The doctor forbade me from taking part in the marathon.
How do you pronounce "marathon"?
Pronounced /ˈmæɹəˌθɑn/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From French marathon, coined in 1894 by linguist Michel Bréal for the first modern time Olympic Games after Ancient Greek Μαραθών (Marathṓn), a town northeast of Athens. Phidippides the Greek ran the distance from Marathon to Athens to deliver a message regarding the Battle of Marathon. The modern sport of marathon running is based on a run approximately the same distance. The toponym itself comes from μάραθον (márathon, “fennel”) and refers to the prevalence of the plant in the area.
Etymology 2
From Ancient Greek Μαραθών (Marathṓn). Doublet of marathon.