milestone
7 synonyms for milestone, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A marker placed beside a road showing the distance to a destination.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use milestone
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
reach a milestone
major milestone
developmental milestone
project milestones
Etymology
Literally "mile" plus "stone" — from the old practice of setting stone markers at mile intervals along roads.
Full origin of milestone →Frequently asked questions
What does “milestone” mean?
The word “milestone” means a marker placed beside a road showing the distance to a destination. In plain terms, a marker of distance on a road, or, much more commonly today, a big step of progress worth noting.
How do you pronounce “milestone”?
“Milestone” is pronounced MYLS-tohn (/ˈmaɪlˌstoʊn/ in IPA).
How do you use “milestone” in a sentence?
Here is “milestone” used in a sentence: “An old stone milestone stood at the edge of the village.”
What is another word for “milestone”?
Words with a similar meaning to “milestone” include landmark.
What part of speech is “milestone”?
“Milestone” is a noun.
Is “milestone” a common word?
“Milestone” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “milestone” have?
“Milestone” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a marker placed beside a road showing the distance to a destination.
What is the difference between a milestone and a landmark?
A milestone refers to an important event or stage of progress in a project, career, or life, while a landmark can refer either to a notable physical feature or building, or figuratively to a significant turning point, much like a milestone. In figurative use the two words overlap closely, but landmark more often carries a physical or highly prominent connotation.
What is the difference between the literal and figurative meaning of milestone?
Literally, a milestone is a marker placed beside a road showing the distance to a destination. Figuratively, a milestone is an important event or stage of progress, such as graduating or reaching a project deadline, extending the idea of marking distance travelled to marking progress achieved.
How is milestone used in project management?
In project management, a milestone marks a significant point of progress, such as the completion of a major phase or deliverable, used to track whether a project is on schedule. Milestones are typically set in advance and reviewed to measure how far a project has advanced.
