monumental

adjective

mon·​u·​men·​tal ˌmän-yə-ˈmen-tᵊl 

1

: serving as or resembling a monument : massive

monumental sculptures

also : highly significant : outstanding

a monumental painting that stunned the American public

2

: of or relating to a monument

modern monumental architecture

3

: very great

a monumental misunderstanding

monumentality

ˌmän-yə-mən-ˈta-lə-tē 

-ˌmen-

noun

monumentally

ˌmän-yə-ˈmen-tᵊl-ē 

adverb

Synonyms of monumental

• magnificent
• epic
• glorious
• imposing
• massive
• majestic
• grand
• proud
• colossal

Examples of monumental in a Sentence

It's more than a mistake; it's a case of monumental stupidity.

the monumental complexity of the issue

Repairing the damage will be a monumental task.

The class was about modern monumental architecture.

Recent Examples on the Web

This is a monumental stability record in the fragile world of next-generation photovoltaics. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026

The lawsuit in Cincinnati was filed shortly after the NCAA Division I Cabinet approved a monumental change in eligibility rules last month. — ABC News, 9 July 2026

Given the monumental task of parsing through all of this information, Lenovo is relying heavily on AI to get the job done both for summarizing data and for coding the infrastructure of the entire operation. — Justyn Newman, PC Magazine, 8 July 2026

The Bayeux Tapestry, a monumental 230 foot long medieval textile, depicts the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and the subsequent Norman Conquest of England. — News Desk, Artforum, 7 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for monumental

• accidental
• compartmental
• continental
• detrimental
• elemental
• fundamental
• governmental
• incidental
• incremental
• instrumental
• interdental
• nonjudgmental

Kids Definition

monumental

adjective

mon·​u·​men·​tal ˌmän-yə-ˈment-ᵊl 

1

: of or relating to a monument

2

: serving as or resembling a monument : massive

also : highly significant : outstanding

3

: very great

monumental stupidity

monumentally

-ᵊl-ē 

adverb