as in concise
marked by the use of few words to convey much information or meaning
the sullen teenager would give only a monosyllabic response to even the friendliest question
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Recent Examples of monosyllabic
On the other hand, the 73-year-old Belichick’s gruff persona, with his monosyllabic utterances at news conferences, has become the stuff of legend.
—
Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 7 July 2025
The Chinese language, unlike alphabetic languages, uses more brain regions due to its monosyllabic, tonal, and logographic nature, which makes understanding brain signals more complex.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 5 Jan. 2025
Daboll, who typically mutters his way through monosyllabic answers after games, raved about the character and work ethic of his team Sunday.
—Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
Eva, a monosyllabic Finn about my age who dressed in head-to-toe black, seemed uninterested in most of what was happening around her, including me.
—Hazlitt, 3 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for monosyllabic
Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 7 July 2025
The Chinese language, unlike alphabetic languages, uses more brain regions due to its monosyllabic, tonal, and logographic nature, which makes understanding brain signals more complex.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 5 Jan. 2025
Daboll, who typically mutters his way through monosyllabic answers after games, raved about the character and work ethic of his team Sunday.
—Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
Eva, a monosyllabic Finn about my age who dressed in head-to-toe black, seemed uninterested in most of what was happening around her, including me.
—Hazlitt, 3 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for monosyllabic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monosyllabic
Adjective
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Aim for clear headlines and concise notes, and agree on timelines to ensure your reputation reflects focus and reliability.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
15 Mar. 2026
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Get concise answers to your questions.—
Michael E. Ruane,
Washington Post,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Traditional mechanical breakers take milliseconds to interrupt a fault, a brief but dangerous window where an arc flash, or dangerous, high-temperature electrical explosion, can occur.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
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Gaither spent three days stranded in Doha after only intending to make a brief stop there following an African safari.—
Timia Cobb
Breaking News Reporter,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Such rights obviously do not include summary execution at sea.—
Mary Ellen O'Connell,
The Conversation,
4 Sep. 2025
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Not surprisingly, given the risk of summary execution, many had initial doubts.—
Yossi Melman,
ProPublica,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Monosyllabic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monosyllabic. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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