monstrous

1 of 2

adjective

mon·​strous ˈmän(t)-strəs How to pronounce monstrous (audio)
Synonyms of monstrousnext
1
: having extraordinary often overwhelming size : gigantic
… stuffing a monstrous sandwich down his throat.Mike Flaherty
a monstrous skyscraper
2
a
: extraordinarily ugly or vicious : horrible
a monstrous crime
monstrous mayhem
b
: shockingly wrong or ridiculous
This legend assumed monstrous proportions …Louis Untermeyer
a monstrous miscalculation
3
: deviating greatly from the natural form or character : abnormal
a monstrous melon
4
: very great
used as an intensive
… a monstrous hammering on his door.G. D. Brown
a monstrous hangover
5
a
: having the qualities or appearance of a monster
… came face to face with a monstrous creature.Lester David
b
obsolete : teeming with monsters
6
obsolete : strange, unnatural
monstrously adverb
monstrousness noun

monstrous

2 of 2

adverb

chiefly dialectal
: very, extremely
… a monstrous long raft …Mark Twain
Choose the Right Synonym for monstrous

monstrous, prodigious, tremendous, stupendous mean extremely impressive.

monstrous implies a departure from the normal (as in size, form, or character) and often carries suggestions of deformity, ugliness, or fabulousness.

the monstrous waste of the project

prodigious suggests a marvelousness exceeding belief, usually in something felt as going far beyond a previous maximum (as of goodness, greatness, intensity, or size).

made a prodigious effort and rolled the stone aside

tremendous may imply a power to terrify or inspire awe.

the tremendous roar of the cataract

stupendous implies a power to stun or astound, usually because of size, numbers, complexity, or greatness beyond description.

a stupendous volcanic eruption

Examples of monstrous in a Sentence

Adjective It was monstrous of him to keep the truth from them all those years. a monstrous melon that was clearly not fit to eat Adverb a monstrous pretty gal, she was
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Its scientific name, Monstera deliciosa, refers to its qualities, with monstrous vining growth up to 70 feet and delicious berries whose taste combines the flavors of pineapple and banana. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 May 2026 But going a little deeper, the YouTube series follows people going through these passageways and ending up in an endless series of mostly empty rooms, a maze that goes on forever, and they are often stalked by unknown monstrous creatures. Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 Michael is given more space to grapple with his monstrous, abusive father. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 26 May 2026 McCain developed a monstrous confidence rooted in routine. Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for monstrous

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 6

Adverb

1569, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of monstrous was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Monstrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monstrous. Accessed 31 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

monstrous

adjective
mon·​strous
ˈmän(t)-strəs
1
: unusually large : gigantic
2
: very ugly or vicious : horrible
3
: shockingly wrong or ridiculous
4
: very different from the usual form : abnormal
monstrously adverb

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