Definition of monopoly
monopolies
1 : exclusive ownership through legal privilege, command of supply, or concerted action
2 : exclusive possession or control no country has a monopoly on morality or truth — Helen M. Lynd
3 : a commodity controlled by one party had a monopoly on flint from their quarries — Barbara A. Leitch
4 : one that has a monopoly The government passed laws intended to break up monopolies.
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Examples of monopoly in a Sentence
The government passed laws intended to break up monopolies.
Recent Examples of monopoly from the Web
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The White House does not have a monopoly on cognitive dissonance in America.
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State media later said he was accused of inciting subversion of state power, a common charge against those viewed as challenging the Communist Party’s monopoly on power.
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Anti-Kremlin protests in recent months have been limited, with wider political opposition muted by the security forces and the Kremlin’s monopoly on television.
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That same year, two Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, Peter Thiel and Patri Friedman, co-founded The Seasteading Institute to bring a startup sensibility to the problem of government monopolies that are too big to succeed.
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That kind of overspending risks creating a bubble and bringing down companies that can’t compete, say critics, leading to consolidation or even quasi-monopolies.
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The big companies don't have a monopoly on research into AI, but competition for qualified personnel is fierce.
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Florida seems to have developed something of a monopoly on the bizarre.
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But everyone assumed that monopolies would rarely arise.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'monopoly'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of monopoly
Latin monopolium, from Greek monopōlion, from mon- + pōlein to sell
Other Business Terms
MONOPOLY Defined for English Language Learners
monopoly
playDefinition of monopoly for English Language Learners
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: complete control of the entire supply of goods or of a service in a certain area or market
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: a large company that has a monopoly
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: complete ownership or control of something
MONOPOLY Defined for Kids
monopoly
playDefinition of monopoly for Students
monopolies
1 : complete ownership or control of the entire supply of goods or a service in a certain market
2 : a person or group having complete control over something The laws are intended to prevent monopolies.
3 : complete ownership or control of something He thinks he has a monopoly on the truth.
Law Dictionary
monopoly
playLegal Definition of monopoly
monopolies
1 : exclusive control of a particular market that is marked by the power to control prices and exclude competition and that especially is developed willfully rather than as the result of superior products or skill — see also antitrust, Sherman Antitrust Act
2 : one that has a monopoly
Learn More about monopoly
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Spanish Central: Translation of monopoly Nglish: Translation of monopoly for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of monopoly for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about monopoly
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