monumental

1 of 2

adjective

mon·​u·​men·​tal ˌmän-yə-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce monumental (audio)
Synonyms of monumentalnext
1
: serving as or resembling a monument : massive
monumental sculptures
also : highly significant : outstanding
a monumental painting that stunned the American public
2
: of or relating to a monument
modern monumental architecture
3
: very great
a monumental misunderstanding
monumentality noun
monumentally adverb

monumentality

2 of 2

noun

mon·​u·​men·​tal·​i·​ty
-ˌmen‧-
-lətē
-i
plural -es
: the quality or state of being monumental
differentiates modern design from the immobile and ponderous monumentality of the pastLewis Mumford

Examples of monumental in a Sentence

Adjective It's more than a mistake; it's a case of monumental stupidity. the monumental complexity of the issue Repairing the damage will be a monumental task. The class was about modern monumental architecture.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
The previous organ was completed in the early 1930s, but turned out to be too small for its monumental space and frequently broke down. ABC News, 15 June 2026 And later this week, shredded paper will rain down on the basketball champions for the NYC ticker-tape parade celebrating the win—a historic tradition honoring monumental moments like the Yankees’ 1961 World Series win and Nelson Mandela’s release from prison; the parade is a first for the Knicks. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 15 June 2026 Goalkeeper Josimar Dias — best known by his nickname, Vozinha — and his Cape Verde teammates were monumental underdogs against the Spaniards. Bailey Johnson, Washington Post, 15 June 2026 The food insecurity issue in our community is monumental and overwhelming, but each one of us can play a role. Michael Farver, Sun Sentinel, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for monumental

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of monumental was in 1596

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Cite this Entry

“Monumental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monumental. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

monumental

adjective
mon·​u·​men·​tal ˌmän-yə-ˈment-ᵊl How to pronounce monumental (audio)
1
: of or relating to a monument
2
: serving as or resembling a monument : massive
also : highly significant : outstanding
3
: very great
monumental stupidity
monumentally adverb

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