marathon

noun

mar·​a·​thon ˈmer-ə-ˌthän How to pronounce marathon (audio)
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 To celebrate its 30th anniversary, TCM on April 14 will present a 24-hour marathon of films with historical introductions from Robert Osborne and throughout the month feature programming with other staffers who started with the channel, it was announced Thursday. Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2024 Andrew Friedman spoke of the pursuit of Ohtani as an exhausting marathon. Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 The 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games are set to begin on July 26, with the men’s marathon scheduled for August 10. Ben Church, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 Now the marathon campaigns for president, U.S. Senate, House and lots of local and offices are underway, all aimed at the Nov. 5 general election. David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024 The central bank measures paved the way for an agreement with the IMF to increase a bailout loan to $8 billion, up from $3 billion after marathon negotiations. Samy Magdy, Quartz, 6 Mar. 2024 Connolly Huth, who also lived with Riley, recalled their shared memories and said she and Riley were supposed to run their first marathon together. Marissa Parra, NBC News, 25 Feb. 2024 The couple stayed active together, both running a half marathon in San Diego in December, exactly one month before Wessels’ heart stopped. Laylan Connelly, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 Bad Bunny's tour kick-off in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the Delta Center sports arena, can only be described as this: a marathon. Pamela Avila, The Courier-Journal, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'marathon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Marathon, Greece, site of a victory of Greeks over Persians in 490 b.c., the news of which was carried to Athens by a long-distance runner

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of marathon was in 1896

Dictionary Entries Near marathon

Cite this Entry

“Marathon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marathon. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

marathon

noun
mar·​a·​thon ˈmar-ə-ˌthän How to pronounce marathon (audio)
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 How to pronounce Marathon (audio)
ˈma-rə-
1
plain of eastern Greece in Attica northeast of Athens on the Aegean Sea
2
ancient town on the plain of Marathon
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!