monologue
noun
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Soliloquy vs. Monologue
Soliloquy and monologue cover very similar ground, but there are some important differences between the two words. Soliloquy (from the Latin solus “alone” and loqui “to speak”) at its most basic level refers to the act of talking to oneself, and more specifically denotes the solo utterance of an actor in a drama. It tends to be used of formal or literary expressions, such as Hamlet’s soliloquies. Monologue (from Greek monos "alone" and legein "to speak") may also refer to a dramatic scene in which an actor soliloquizes, but it has other meanings as well. To a stand-up comedian, monologue denotes a comic routine. To a bored listener, it signifies a long speech uttered by someone who has too much to say.
Examples of monologue in a Sentence
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2026
The sequence built from this monologue fills more than thirty minutes of screen time, and is punctuated with recent flashbacks to the family’s life together, and even an extended long-ago look at the couple’s early days.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 June 2026
For example, the Doctor is a live streamer, while the Guard monologues to himself in grand fashion.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 10 June 2026
Listen to the episode or read on below for more on what Sweeney thought about Cassie’s final monologue, the rumors swirling around about drama within the cast, and the pole dancing scene that didn’t make the final cut.
—Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for monologue
Cite this Entry
“Monologue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monologue. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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monologue
noun
