go the extra mile

UK/ˈɡəʊ ði ˈɛk.stɹə ˈmaɪl/US/ˈɡoʊ ði ˈɛk.stɹə ˈmaɪl/

verb

To make an extra effort; to do a particularly good job.

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Meanings

verbgo the extra mile (third-person singular simple present goes the extra mile, present participle going the extra mile, simple past went the extra mile, past participle gone the extra mile)

present singular third person goes the extra mile · participle present going the extra mile · past went the extra mile · participle past gone the extra mile

  1. idiomaticTo make an extra effort; to do a particularly good job.

    President Reagan pledged at a news conference today “to go the extra mile” to compromise with Democrats.

    1982 April 21, Steven R. Weisman, “Reagan Vows To Go ‘Extra Mile’ to Get Accord on Budget”, in New York Times, retrieved 29 Jul 2012
    2 more examples

    The international community demands that Iran go the extra mile to satisfy concerns over its atomic energy program.

    2006 September 7, Tony Karon, “Why Iran Has the Upper Hand in the Nuclear Showdown”, in Time

    The National Rail Awards has a proud history of recognising the extraordinary efforts of railwaymen and women who go 'the extra mile' in their day jobs to deliver wider benefits to both the industry and society.

    2021 January 27, Paul Stephen, “Inspiration to the next generation”, in RAIL, number 923, page 48

Origin

* Possibly from the gospel of Matthew ch.5: v.41 *: "And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain."

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 付出比要求更多的努力
  • 付出比要求更多的努力 (fùchū bǐ yāoqiú gèng duō de nǔlì)make an extra effort
Czech udělat něco navíc
  • udělat něco navícmake an extra effort
Finnish kulkea toinenkin virsta
  • kulkea toinenkin virstamake an extra effort
French faire un effort particulier, se mettere en quatte
  • faire un effort particuliermake an extra effort
  • se mettere en quattemake an extra effort
  • se dépassermake an extra effort
  • se surpassermake an extra effort
  • faire plus que le nécessairemake an extra effort
Italian fare di tutto, fare uno sforzo extra
  • fare di tuttomake an extra effort
  • fare uno sforzo extramake an extra effort
  • fare uno sforzo in piùmake an extra effort
  • fare uno sforzo specialemake an extra effort
  • fare il possibilemake an extra effort
Portuguese fazer um esforço extra, ir a milha extra
  • fazer um esforço extramake an extra effort
  • ir a milha extramake an extra effort
Spanish hacer un esfuerzo extra, hacer un esfuerzo adicional
  • hacer un esfuerzo extramake an extra effort
  • hacer un esfuerzo adicionalmake an extra effort
Cite this entry
APA

go the extra mile. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/go%20the%20extra%20mile

MLA

“go the extra mile.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/go%20the%20extra%20mile. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “go the extra mile,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/go%20the%20extra%20mile.

Source: go the extra mile on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.