odometer
noun
odom·e·ter
ō-ˈdä-mə-tər 
: an instrument for measuring the distance traveled (as by a vehicle)
Did you know?
Odometer includes the root from the Greek word hodos, meaning "road" or "trip". An odometer shares space on your dashboard with a speedometer, a tachometer, and maybe a "tripmeter". The odometer is what crooked car salesmen tamper with when they want to reduce the mileage a car registers as having traveled. One of life's little pleasures is watching the odometer as all the numbers change at the same time.
Examples of odometer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This occasioned a 100-mile trip back and another 100 miles back from that: 300 miles on the odometer before noon.
—
Sam Sifton, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
However, the win was worth the few extra miles on his odometer.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2025
That’s because new-vehicle leases are subject to strict mileage limitations, which can be as few as 10,000 annual miles or less with the sweetest deals (newer vehicles returned with fewer miles on the odometer are worth more and usually require less reconditioning).
—Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
The numbers were the final five digits on her car’s odometer, according to lottery officials.
—Sara Schilling, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for odometer
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.
Sam Sifton, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
However, the win was worth the few extra miles on his odometer.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2025
That’s because new-vehicle leases are subject to strict mileage limitations, which can be as few as 10,000 annual miles or less with the sweetest deals (newer vehicles returned with fewer miles on the odometer are worth more and usually require less reconditioning).
—Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
The numbers were the final five digits on her car’s odometer, according to lottery officials.
—Sara Schilling, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for odometer
Cite this Entry
“Odometer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/odometer. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
odometer
noun
odom·e·ter
ō-ˈdäm-ət-ər
: an instrument for measuring distance traveled (as by a vehicle)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share