monumental

1 of 2

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

monumentality

2 of 2

noun

mon·​u·​men·​tal·​i·​ty

-ˌmen‧-, 

-lətē, 

-i

plural -es

: the quality or state of being monumental

differentiates modern design from the immobile and ponderous monumentality of the past

—Lewis Mumford

Synonyms of monumental

Adjective

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

Examples of monumental in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Adjective

The Parthenon Marbles make up a monumental frieze sculpted to adorn the Parthenon in Greece. — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026

This book also debuts at a time when the landscape of the adult romance genre is experiencing a monumental shift. — Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026

Horror is always lucrative, but has been especially potent this year, with the monumental successes of low-budget films like Obsession and Backrooms. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Oct. 2026

But despite what seems like a monumental change, life here continues. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

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