monumental

adjective

ˌmän-yə-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce monumental (audio)
Definition of monumentalnext
1
as in magnificent
large and impressive in size, grandeur, extent, or conception a monumental misunderstanding that had far-reaching consequences

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in huge
unusually large serves a monumental sundae that usually requires three people to finish it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in major
having great meaning or lasting effect the moon landing was seen as a monumental event in human history

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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 monumental The challenges, some fear, are overwhelming for a system beloved by the American public and monumental for preserving America’s legacy and natural beauty. — Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026 The review doesn’t seem monumental—except that the portfolio contains 4 million files! — Alberto Gimeno, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026 Devastating as that was, the monumental storms of 1862 flooded a lot of the West, from Arizona to Oregon, and into Mexico and Canada. — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026 While the ride itself is monumental, the machine beneath him is what has caught the motorcycle world's attention. — New Atlas, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for monumental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monumental
  1. magnificent
  2. huge
  3. major
  4. epic
  5. gigantic
  6. historic
  7. glorious
  8. enormous
Adjective
  • Lee, meanwhile, is magnificent in a role requiring similar kindness, only laced with loneliness and loss.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Ingela and Marcus run Skärgårdsidyllen Kayak & Outdoor activities in the magnificent archipelago of Grönemad, Grebbestad.
    — Natasha Langan, TheWeek, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of magnificent
Adjective
  • Tiny creatures like crabs and ants traveled huge distances, encountering all sorts of dangers—driven by the instinct to lay eggs and reproduce at any cost.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The sensational international rescue of the famously sentient creatures, replete with colossal cargo planes, huge crates and Shedd staffers working in the dead of night to transport and care for the whales, must have looked made for social media.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of huge
Adjective
  • Wildfires encroached on major European cities, a once unthinkable threat.
    — Justin Worland, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
  • These five rising, behind-the-scenes maestros have worked on major hits for such likely 2027 contenders as Noah Kahan, Ariana Grande and Rosalía — and could be first-time nominees in the category.
    — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of major
Adjective
  • Who better, then, to tackle the equally epic story of the bond market and America’s $40 trillion—and swelling—national debt?
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Mallarmé composed Un coup de dés while working on his epic project Le Livre, which is rife with numbers and mathematical calculations.
    — Artforum, Artforum, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of epic
Adjective
  • Think again of a gigantic system of pipes, each of which is open or closed with a certain probability.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Find an old Porsche, Jaguar or Mini, rip everything out, throw in a gigantic modern engine, carbon-fiber bodywork and enough computing power to launch a satellite, then ask half a million dollars for it.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of gigantic
Adjective
  • The New York Liberty are peaking at the right time and were able to complete a historic sweep of the Minnesota Lynx to advance to the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs.
    — Doug Feinberg, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Of course, Hemingway and McCarthy weren’t writing amid democratic backsliding and historic polarization.
    — Ryan Chapman, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of historic
Adjective
  • The on-site spa, The Rittenhouse Spa and Club - Hair by Paul Labrecque, is a glorious urban escape complete with an indoor pool, outdoor sun deck, fitness center, full-service spa and salon, plus men’s grooming station.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Today belongs to the people, and the glorious yesterday belongs to them, as well.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of glorious
Adjective
  • The machines typically used to compress fuel must deliver enormous bursts of energy with exceptional precision.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026
  • No one knew quite how enormous both films would become, even if many clearly believed in the films and the filmmakers.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of enormous

Browse Nearby Words

monument
monumental
monumentalize
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Cite this Entry

“Monumental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monumental. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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