Standard Lemma guide

treadmill

noun · verb · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈtɹɛd.mɪl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: T R EH1 D M IH2 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A piece of indoor sporting equipment used to allow for the motions of running or walking while staying in one place.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A mill worked by persons treading upon steps on the periphery of a wide wheel having a horizontal axis. It was used principally as a means of prison discipline.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mill, stepper, everlasting staircase

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A mill worked by horses, dogs, etc., treading an endless belt.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A process or situation in which continued effort leads to or is required for remaining at a particular state or level without moving ahead.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To exercise on a treadmill.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To keep busy, for example, with work or with other tasks, without being able to get ahead or make progress towards long-term goals.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, figuratively, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

a job involving drudgery and confinement

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: salt mine

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: occupation, business, job, line of work, line

8

noun

Meaning 8

a mill that is powered by men or animals walking on a circular belt or climbing steps

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: treadwheel, tread-wheel

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: mill, grinder, milling machinery

9

noun

Meaning 9

an exercise device consisting of an endless belt on which a person can walk or jog without changing place

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: exercise device

History

Etymology

From tread + mill. Its figurative senses refer to the idea that running on a treadmill requires continued effort and motion to remain in the same place.

Across languages

Translations

78 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: جِهَاز الْمَشْي (jihāz al-mašy) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Arabic: جِهَاز الْجَرْي (jihāz al-jary) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Arabic: آلَةُ الْْجَرْيِ (ʔālatu l-jaryi) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Arabic: آلَةُ الرَكْضِ (ʔālatu r-rakḍi) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Arabic: جِهَاز سَيْر (jihāz sayr) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Arabic: مَمْشىً كَهْرَبَائِيٌّ (mamšan kahrabāʔiyyun) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Arabic: مَمْشىً رِيَاضِيٌّ (mamšan riyāḍiyyun) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Arabic: مَشَّايَة (maššāya) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Chinese Mandarin: 跑步機 /跑步机 (pǎobùjī) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Czech: běžecký pás — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Danish: løbebånd — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Dutch: loopband — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Faroese: renniband — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Finnish: juoksumatto — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • French: tapis roulant — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • French: tapis de course — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • French: tapis de marche — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Georgian: სირბილის ტრენაჟორი (sirbilis ṭrenažori) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Georgian: სარბენი ბილიკი (sarbeni biliḳi) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • German: Laufband — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Hebrew: הֲלִיכוֹן (halichón) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Hungarian: futópad — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Icelandic: hlaupabretti — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Irish: meaisín reatha — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Italian: tappeto — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Italian: tapis roulant — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Japanese: トレッドミル (toreddomiru) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Japanese: 踏み車 (fumiguruma) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Japanese: ランニングマシン (ranningu mashin) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Korean: 런닝머신 (reonningmeosin) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Lithuanian: bė́gtakis — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Macedonian: подвижна патека (podvižna pateka) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Malay: sawat injak — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Marathi: पायगिरणी (pāygirṇī) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Mongolian: гүйлтийн зам (güjltiin zam) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Norwegian Bokmål: tredemølle — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Norwegian Bokmål: løpebrett — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: tredemølle — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: løpebrett — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Polish: bieżnia — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Portuguese: esteira ergométrica — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Portuguese: passadeira — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Russian: бегу́щая доро́жка (begúščaja doróžka) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Russian: бегова́я доро́жка (begovája doróžka) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Russian: тредба́н (tredbán) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Russian: тре́дмил (trédmil) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Russian: тредми́л (tredmíl) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Slovak: bežecký pás — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Spanish: cinta ergométrica — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Spanish: máquina de caminar — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Spanish: andadora — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Spanish: caminadora — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Spanish: cinta de correr — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Spanish: trotadora — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Spanish: máquina de correr — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Swedish: löpband — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Turkish: koşu bandı — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Ukrainian: бігова́ дорі́жка (bihová dorížka) — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Vietnamese: máy chạy bộ — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Volapük: tridamül — piece of indoor sporting equipment
  • Danish: trædemølle — mill worked by persons
  • Dutch: tredmolen — mill worked by persons
  • Finnish: polkumylly — mill worked by persons
  • French: roue de carrier — mill worked by persons
  • German: Tretmühle — mill worked by persons
  • Hungarian: taposómalom — mill worked by persons
  • Irish: muileann coise — mill worked by persons
  • Macedonian: нагазно тркало (nagazno trkalo) — mill worked by persons
  • Norwegian Bokmål: tredemølle — mill worked by persons
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: tredemølle — mill worked by persons
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: trømylne — mill worked by persons
  • Polish: młyn — mill worked by persons
  • Polish: kierat — mill worked by persons
  • Spanish: rueda de correr — mill worked by persons
  • Swedish: trampkvarn — mill worked by persons
  • Swedish: gångspel — mill worked by persons
  • Ottoman Turkish: طولاب (dolab) — mill worked by persons
  • Volapük: tridamül — mill worked by persons