marathonnoun [ C ]
uk/ˈmær.ə.θən/us/ˈmer.ə.θɑːn/marathon noun [ C ] (RACE)
B2 a running race of slightly over 26 miles (42.195 kilometres):
the London/New York marathon
She did/ran her first marathon in just under three hours.
More examples
- The marathon began at a cracking pace.
- Running a marathon takes a lot of doing .
- Running a marathon is a test of human endurance.
- These are the running shoes favoured by marathon runners.
- Fibber! You couldn't run ten kilometres, let alone a marathon!
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Athletics
- athlete
- athletics
- caber
- finish line
- finishing line 1
- finishing line
- follow through
- hammer throwing
- hurdler
- relay
- running
- sack race
- shot
- sprint
- stagger
- steeplechase
- track
- track meet
- triathlon
- water jump
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marathon noun [ C ] (LONG ACTIVITY)
an activity that takes a long time and makes you very tired:
The election broadcast, a nine-hour marathon, lasts until seven o'clock in the morning.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Difficult things and people
- a (heavy) cross to bear idiom
- a bitter pill (to swallow) idiom
- a hard/tough nut to crack idiom
- albatross
- bane
- chill
- equation
- handicap
- headache
- hiccup
- hot potato
- impediment
- job
- labyrinth
- liability
- the chill wind of sth idiom
- the hard way idiom
- the sharp end
- the/a devil of a sth idiom
- thorn in your flesh/side idiom
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marathonadjective [ before noun ]
uk/ˈmær.ə.θən/us/ˈmer.ə.θɑːn/marathon adjective [ before noun ] (RACE)
related to marathons (= running races):
a marathon runner
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Athletics
- athlete
- athletics
- caber
- finish line
- finishing line 1
- finishing line
- follow through
- hammer throwing
- hurdler
- relay
- running
- sack race
- shot
- sprint
- stagger
- steeplechase
- track
- track meet
- triathlon
- water jump
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marathon adjective [ before noun ] (LONG TIME)
used to describe something that takes a very long time and makes you very tired:
I had a marathon session marking 55 tests yesterday.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Lasting for a long time
- all-night
- ancient
- be going strong idiom
- changeless
- deep
- die hard idiom
- epic
- incorruptible
- languish
- lasting
- lengthy
- lingering
- man and boy idiom
- never-ending
- of old idiom
- old
- ongoing
- strong
- sustainable
- year
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