monolith
noun
mono·lith
ˈmä-nə-ˌlith 
1
: a single great stone often in the form of an obelisk or column
A granite monolith stands at the center of the park.
2
: a massive structure
The 70-story monolith is one of Europe's tallest buildings.
3
: an organized whole that acts as a single unified powerful or influential force
The movie company grew into a monolith of the entertainment industry.
Examples of monolith in a Sentence
The new office building is a massive steel and concrete monolith.
The media monolith owns a number of networks.
Recent Examples on the Web
These include longtime must-dos like snorkeling in Jellyfish Lake as well as surprises like a historic World War II tour on Peleliu island and a visit to the ancient stone monoliths of Ngarchelong.
—
Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2024
In 1929, however, city leaders in Lawrence, Kan., relocated the monolith to a park in Lawrence as a way of commemorating the city’s 75th anniversary.
—Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024
Perez cautions that adults — and especially media — sometimes fall into narratives that present all young people as a monolith.
—Journal Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2024
Sherald’s work is in direct resistance to Black lives being visually documented as a monolith through the trope of struggle or brutality.
—Amy Carleton, Charlotte Observer, 29 Feb. 2024
And Black people usually aren’t treated or written about like a monolith.
—Maya Richard-Craven, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
Employees living with disabilities are certainly not a monolith, as my colleague Paige McGlauflin previously wrote.
—Azure Gilman, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024
But the destination, a rustic red bathhouse in a green alpine meadow beneath a ridge spiked with huge granite monoliths, is stunning in its isolation.
—Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Jan. 2024
The film asks why publishing sees Black authors as a monolith and permits itself a monolithic answer.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2023
Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2024
In 1929, however, city leaders in Lawrence, Kan., relocated the monolith to a park in Lawrence as a way of commemorating the city’s 75th anniversary.
—Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024
Perez cautions that adults — and especially media — sometimes fall into narratives that present all young people as a monolith.
—Journal Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2024
Sherald’s work is in direct resistance to Black lives being visually documented as a monolith through the trope of struggle or brutality.
—Amy Carleton, Charlotte Observer, 29 Feb. 2024
And Black people usually aren’t treated or written about like a monolith.
—Maya Richard-Craven, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
Employees living with disabilities are certainly not a monolith, as my colleague Paige McGlauflin previously wrote.
—Azure Gilman, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024
But the destination, a rustic red bathhouse in a green alpine meadow beneath a ridge spiked with huge granite monoliths, is stunning in its isolation.
—Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Jan. 2024
The film asks why publishing sees Black authors as a monolith and permits itself a monolithic answer.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'monolith.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near monolith
Cite this Entry
“Monolith.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monolith. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
monolith
noun
mono·lith
ˈmän-ᵊl-ˌith
1
: a single great stone often in the form of a monument or column
2
: something large and powerful (as a political organization) that is thought to function as a unified whole
monolithic
adjective
ˌmän-ᵊl-ˈith-ik
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