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

• drill
• grind
• groove
• lockstep
• pattern
• rote
• routine
• rut

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

Word History

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined at sense 1c

Kids 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