monosyllable

Definition of monosyllablenext
as in expression
a lexical item that has only one syllable He answered all their questions with monosyllables like "yes" and "no."

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of monosyllable Hearing this jab of monosyllables is like being poked in the eye. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2023 But where the two Stegosaurus brothers speak in Jurassic monosyllables, Stegothesaurus has the gift of a bountiful vocabulary. Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 22 June 2018 Original writer Derek Kolstad and director Chad Stahelski have returned for the sequel, alongside the taciturn Reeves, who brews up more of his Wickian magic while speaking infrequently and mostly in monosyllables. Katie Walsh, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monosyllable
Noun
  • The branzino – buttery, substantial and just the right amount of briny – is the most tangible, tasty expression of the theory.
    Connie Ogle July 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • At an institution where nearly everything else has been muted, the most enduring expression of what the Kennedy Center once was now lives on its smallest stage.
    Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Noun
  • That phrase may sound unusual at first but consider how operating systems actually work.
    David Rosowsky, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • The phrase has been used in Australian coverage of rugby players, referees and other athletes.
    Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
Noun
  • Skubal seems to comprehend how his performance and his words both hold weight.
    Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Maybe redemption is too strong a word, but with all of this attention on Luke, Joe’s normal-bordering-on-wholesome fling with Kayley is a breath of fresh air.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 21 July 2026
Noun
  • Important, too, was the morpheme a-, which referred to the mouth and, more broadly, to origins.
    Anvita Abbi, Scientific American, 16 May 2023
  • Those words are made up of morphemes, small elements that change their meaning depending on how they are combined.
    Ian Austen, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Apr. 2023

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Cite this Entry

“Monosyllable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monosyllable. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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