monolithic

adjective

mono·lith·ic | \ˌmä-nə-ˈli-thik

Definition of monolithic

1a : of, relating to, or resembling a monolith : huge, massive a large monolithic building an influential monolithic organization

b(1) : formed from a single crystal a monolithic silicon chip

(2) : produced in or on a monolithic chip (see chip entry 1 sense 6b) a monolithic circuit

2a : cast as a single piece a monolithic concrete wall

b : formed or composed of material without joints or seams a monolithic floor covering

c : consisting of or constituting a single unit

3a : constituting a massive undifferentiated and often rigid whole a monolithic society

b : exhibiting or characterized by often rigidly fixed uniformity monolithic party unity

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But the reality is that the fantasy on offer has been largely monolithic: usually white, often thin, and nearly always straight. — Mickalene Thomas, Harper's BAZAAR, "Artist Mickalene Thomas Opens Up About the Importance of Diverse Bodies In Her Work," 3 Oct. 2018 Remarkably, this strong record of accomplishment has occurred despite nearly monolithic opposition from congressional Democrats. — Robert J. Barro, WSJ, "I Won’t Ride the Trump Train Into a Trade War," 8 Aug. 2018 The one-day Our Security Advocates event offered a counterpoint to the monolithic approach of large, prominent security conferences, by offering a diverse agenda and set of speakers to promote inclusive representation in privacy and security fields. — Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, "An Alternative Security Conference Calls Out Lack of Inclusion," 18 Apr. 2018 Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia In northern Ethiopia, the small town of Lalibela is renowned for its eleven medieval churches—carved out of monolithic rock. — Bridget Hallinan, Condé Nast Traveler, "15 Beautiful Sacred Sites Around the World," 29 Mar. 2018 Now complete, the warehouse looks a bit like a steely blue iceberg: monolithic, windowless, and blank. — Atossa Araxia Abrahamian, Longreads, "Tax-Free Storage Wars," 29 May 2018 Ignoring wrinkles in that story, such as that of Shermantown, lets a monolithic tale be written by the Venables of the world, while Shermantown is consigned to memory, eventually to be forgotten entirely. — Benjamin Powers, Smithsonian, "In the Shadow of Stone Mountain," 4 May 2018 Part of what makes these questions so vexing is our desire to answer them decisively, as a unified, monolithic listening public. — Chris Richards, chicagotribune.com, "The 5 hardest questions in pop music," 3 July 2018 Brick houses are known for their monolithic sturdiness, but this open-plan brick home in Mỹ Hạnh Nam, Vietnam, is airy and light. — Liz Stinson, Curbed, "Airy brick house bucks tradition to stunning effect," 10 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'monolithic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.