Mph
abbreviation / noun
Definition
1. Miles per hour.
2. A unit for measuring speed.
2. A unit for measuring speed.
Context Alive
The officer pulled the driver over on the motorway. He explained that the speed limit was 70, but the camera had recorded her doing 90 mph. She looked shocked and immediately started apologizing, knowing a fine was coming.
Meanings
1 meaning 1 Miles Per Hour (Abbreviation) Very Common ▼
This meaning is about measuring how fast something is moving. Imagine driving on a highway and glancing at your speedometer. It reads 60 mph, meaning your car is covering sixty miles every hour. This is the standard unit of speed used in countries like the UK and the US. You might see a sign saying “speed limit 30 mph” or hear a weather report warning of “winds reaching 80 mph.” Or picture a sports commentator saying a tennis player’s serve was clocked at 140 mph, making the crowd gasp. The abbreviation appears everywhere — from road signs to news reports. ✏️ Most of Europe uses km/h (kilometres per hour), but the UK and US still use mph on roads and in daily conversation.
Vivid ExampleThe storm was getting worse by the minute. Weather reports warned that winds had reached over 100 mph near the coast, strong enough to rip roofs off houses. Residents were told to stay indoors and move away from windows until it passed.
Examples from the Street
“He was doing 90 mph on the motorway — absolute lunatic.”
He was driving at 90 miles per hour on the highway — completely reckless and dangerous
“The speed limit here is 30 mph.”
You’re not allowed to drive faster than 30 miles per hour in this area
“The wind was blowing at 60 mph last night.”
The wind reached a speed of 60 miles per hour during the night — extremely strong
Common Patterns
(number) mph → stating a specific speed (always placed after the number)
the speed limit is (number) mph → stating the maximum legal driving speed
doing/going (number) mph → describing how fast someone is travelling (informal)
at (number) mph → specifying the speed at which something is moving
reach / hit (number) mph → achieve a particular speed
top speed of (number) mph → the maximum speed something can reach
a million mph → exaggeration meaning extremely fast (informal)
100 mph lifestyle/pace → living or working at an exhaustingly fast, non-stop speed
going at (number) mph → used figuratively to describe the pace of life, work, or change
Collocations
2 collocationsmiles per hour
a measure of speed
speed limit of 30 mph
the maximum allowed speed is 30 miles per hour
Example Sentences
12 examples
1
The speed limit on this road is 40 mph, but nobody seems to follow it
The maximum legal driving speed on this street is 40 miles per hour, but it seems like everyone ignores it.
2
He got a fine for doing 50 mph in a 30 zone
He was given a penalty for travelling at 50 miles per hour in an area where the limit was only 30.
3
The car can reach 150 mph, but when would you ever need that kind of speed?
The vehicle is capable of achieving 150 miles per hour, but in what situation would you actually require going that fast?
4
The storm brought winds of up to 80 mph, bringing down trees across the county
The severe weather produced gusts as powerful as 80 miles per hour, knocking over trees throughout the entire region.
5
The new electric model has a top speed of 130 mph and goes from 0 to 60 in under four seconds
The latest battery-powered car can reach a maximum of 130 miles per hour and accelerates from standing still to 60 in less than four seconds.
6
He was going at barely 20 mph in the fast lane, holding up everyone behind him
He was crawling along at just 20 miles per hour in the overtaking lane, blocking all the cars trying to get past.
7
The ball left his foot at 70 mph — the goalkeeper had no chance
The ball flew off his boot at 70 miles per hour — the keeper couldn’t possibly have stopped it.
8
The speed camera caught her doing 85 mph on the A1
The automatic traffic device recorded her travelling at 85 miles per hour on the main road.
9
My brain’s been going at a million mph all day — I can’t switch off
My mind has been racing at an incredible pace all day long — I just can’t seem to relax and stop thinking.
10
She lives life at 100 mph — always busy, always on the move, never sitting still
She lives at a non-stop, exhausting pace — constantly occupied, constantly rushing, never taking a moment to rest.
Learner Examples
★
Some teachers speak at 100 mph during lessons and then wonder why their students can’t follow
Certain instructors talk at an incredibly fast pace in class and are then surprised that their learners have no idea what’s going on.
★
When you first listen to native speakers, it feels like they’re talking at a million mph — but your ear adjusts over time
When you initially hear fluent English speakers, it seems like they’re speaking impossibly fast — but your ability to understand gradually catches up.
Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
0 items
Synonyms & Antonyms
3 items
Synonymsmiles per hour
full form
speed
rate of movement
velocity
technical term for speed