monkish

adjective

monk·​ish ˈməŋ-kish How to pronounce monkish (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or resembling a monk
also : resembling that of a monk
2
: inclined to disciplinary self-denial

Examples of monkish in a Sentence

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.
Pärt, who has apparently retired from creative work, offers an output that is far more complex and contradictory than his monkish public image suggests. Alex Ross, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025 Integral, too, to Dayal’s mythology was his monkish existence. Literary Hub, 29 Oct. 2025 The festival would know that better than most, juxtaposing classical music—and its expectation of monkish silence—with the heart of Chicago’s downtown, and the human mix therein. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2025 Obama has retreated into monkish silence, broken only for special occasions such as celebrity deaths and the recording of Bruce Springsteen podcasts. Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 17 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for monkish

Word History

First Known Use

1537, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of monkish was in 1537

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Monkish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monkish. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on monkish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!