milestone
/ˈmaɪl.stəʊn/- 1.
A stone post by the side of a road showing the distance to the next town, measured in miles. This is the original, literal meaning.
- Ancient milestones still stand along old Roman roads in Europe.
- The milestone showed they were ten miles from the city.
- Travelers used milestones to measure how far they had walked.
- 2.
An important event or stage that marks significant progress in a project, career, or person's life. This is the far more common modern meaning.
- Getting her first job was a major milestone in her life.
- The company celebrated a milestone — one million customers served.
- Finishing your thesis is a real milestone in your academic journey.
Adinary Nuance
Milestone, landmark, turning point, and benchmark are close neighbors but each has its own focus. A milestone marks a specific point of progress on a continuing journey — you reach it and keep moving forward, like passing a stage in a project. A landmark is about being famous or easily recognizable, like a historic event that others use as a reference. A turning point signals a change in direction, not just forward progress — something shifts after it. A benchmark is a fixed standard you measure performance against, not a point you pass through. In IELTS Academic writing, milestone is the safest and most precise choice when describing sequential stages of achievement or development.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- Cột mốc
- Spanish
- Hito
- Chinese
- 里程碑
- Japanese
- 節目
- Korean
- 이정표
Etymology
From Old English, combining "mile" (from Latin "milia passuum," meaning a thousand paces) and "stone," referring to literal roadside distance markers. By the early 19th century, the figurative sense of a significant event had developed in English.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between 'milestone' and 'landmark'?
- A milestone marks a step of progress in an ongoing process, like a career or project — you pass it and keep going. A landmark is something famous or recognizable that others use for reference. Use 'milestone' for stages of progress and 'landmark' for historically significant or well-known events.
- What is the difference between 'milestone' and 'turning point'?
- A milestone shows how far something has come — it marks progress, and the journey continues. A turning point marks a change in direction, where things go differently after that moment. For example, passing a board exam is a milestone; failing and deciding to change careers is a turning point.
- Is 'milestone' suitable for IELTS Academic writing?
- Yes, milestone is widely used in academic and formal writing. It is a strong word for IELTS Task 1 or Task 2 when describing significant stages in development, history, or progress. It reads as precise and natural to examiners.
- Can 'milestone' be used for personal life events?
- Absolutely. Milestone is commonly used for personal events like graduating, getting married, or having a first child. You can say 'graduating from university was a major milestone in my life' and it sounds completely natural.