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monomania

noun
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mono·​ma·​nia | \ ˌmä-nə-ˈmā-nē-ə How to pronounce monomania (audio) , -nyə \

Definition of monomania

1 : mental illness especially when limited in expression to one idea or area of thought
2 : excessive concentration on a single object or idea
Other Words from monomania Example Sentences Learn More about monomania

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Other Words from monomania

monomaniac \ ˌmä-​nə-​ˈmā-​nē-​ˌak How to pronounce monomaniac (audio) \ noun or adjective
monomaniacal \ ˌmä-​nə-​mə-​ˈnī-​ə-​kəl How to pronounce monomaniacal (audio) \ adjective
monomaniacally \ ˌmä-​nə-​mə-​ˈnī-​ə-​k(ə-​)lē How to pronounce monomaniacally (audio) \ adverb

Examples of monomania in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In conceiving the project, Fournier and Marty invented a backstory and built their décor around it with the zany monomania of a Wes Anderson movie. — Joshua Levine, WSJ, "A Moroccan Retreat With a French Minimalist Spin," 13 Aug. 2018 The textualist monomania seems to grate especially on Ginsburg, who was famously close with Scalia. — Simon Van Zuylen-wood, Daily Intelligencer, "How Neil Gorsuch Became the Second-Most-Polarizing Man in Washington," 28 May 2018 Fischer’s defiant monomania already had many worried during his adolescence. — Ann Hulbert, Time, "What Parents Can Learn From Steve Jobs and Bill Gates About Raising a Prodigy," 10 Jan. 2018 There are a few problems with the notion that Trump is to blame for our collective political monomania. — Christopher Beha, Harper's magazine, "Winning the Peace," 10 May 2019 In conceiving the project, Fournier and Marty invented a backstory and built their décor around it with the zany monomania of a Wes Anderson movie. — Joshua Levine, WSJ, "A Moroccan Retreat With a French Minimalist Spin," 13 Aug. 2018 Polar monomania is the subject and driving force behind this curious book, a composite of capsule history, essays and fictionalized memoir. — Sam Sacks, WSJ, "Fiction Chronicles: The Intoxicating Attraction of the Abyss," 8 June 2018 The textualist monomania seems to grate especially on Ginsburg, who was famously close with Scalia. — Simon Van Zuylen-wood, Daily Intelligencer, "How Neil Gorsuch Became the Second-Most-Polarizing Man in Washington," 28 May 2018 Fischer’s defiant monomania already had many worried during his adolescence. — Ann Hulbert, Time, "What Parents Can Learn From Steve Jobs and Bill Gates About Raising a Prodigy," 10 Jan. 2018

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

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First Known Use of monomania

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for monomania

New Latin

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Time Traveler for monomania

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The first known use of monomania was in 1815

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Cite this Entry

“Monomania.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monomania. Accessed 21 January 2020.

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More Definitions for monomania

monomania

noun
mono·​ma·​nia | \ ˌmän-ə-ˈmā-nē-ə, -nyə How to pronounce monomania (audio) \

Medical Definition of monomania

: mental illness especially when limited in expression to one idea or area of thought

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