monumental

adjective

mon·​u·​men·​tal ˌmän-yə-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce monumental (audio)
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

Examples of monumental in a Sentence

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 Naco’s new gym — topped with a peaked metal mesh roof that has a monumental profile on one side and a more intimate scale on the other — is at the crossroads of three neighborhoods and a local train line. Sam Lubell, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Proponents lauded this as a monumental stride towards sustainable agriculture, citing the imperative to safeguard biodiversity, protect pollinators, and mitigate the health hazards posed by chemical residues in food. Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Words can’t really do the ensuing catfight justice, so please — treat yourself and watch it below: To celebrate the upcoming 35th anniversary of Generations’ premiere, EW asked the key players behind Doreen and Maya’s monumental brawl to share their memories from the set. EW.com, 28 Feb. 2024 Justin was present for the monumental moment, celebrating his son's achievement on Instagram after the game. Francesca Gariano, Peoplemag, 26 Feb. 2024 Orion took on this monumental task without hesitation. Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 25 Feb. 2024 Some have bathrooms as large as the living space with a monumental tub in the center. Zoe Dubno, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2024 In 1981 Michael Freedman solved a four-dimensional version of the Poincaré conjecture in a monumental proof that would take years to digest. Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 22 Feb. 2024 The infrastructure deficit in Latin America is monumental. Shannon K. O’Neil, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'monumental.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of monumental was in 1596

Dictionary Entries Near monumental

Cite this Entry

“Monumental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monumental. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on monumental

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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