soliloquy

American  

[suh-lil-uh-kwee] / səˈlɪl ə kwi /

noun

plural

soliloquies

1. an utterance or discourse spoken to oneself, without regard for whether any other hearers are present (often used as a device in drama to disclose a character's innermost thoughts).

   Hamlet's soliloquy begins with “To be or not to be.”

2. the act of talking while or as if alone.

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soliloquy British  

/ səˈlɪləkwɪ /

noun

1. the act of speaking alone or to oneself, esp as a theatrical device

2. a speech in a play that is spoken in soliloquy

   Hamlet's first soliloquy

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Usage

What does soliloquy mean? A soliloquy is a speech spoken to no one but oneself, even if other people are around. The word is most often used to describe such a speech in a play. In a play, a soliloquy is performed alone, regardless of whether there are other actors present on the stage. Soliloquies are typically used to let the audience hear a character’s inner thoughts. In terms of theater, a soliloquy is different from a monologue, which is also a long speech, but is part of a conversation with someone else. Example: The most famous soliloquy in theater is perhaps the one from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which begins “To be, or not to be, that is the question.”

Etymology

Origin of soliloquy

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Late Latin sōliloquium “a talking to oneself, soliloquy,” equivalent to sōli- soli- ¹ + loqu(ī) “to speak” + -ium -ium; -y ³

Explanation

Ever see someone talking while alone on a stage? That's what you call a soliloquy — a speech made by a character in a drama as if that character is voicing their own private thoughts. Shakespeare's plays are full of soliloquies. The noun soliloquy comes from the Latin roots solus ("alone") plus loqui ("speak") — so the word literally means "an act of speaking to oneself." A soliloquy is a dramatic speech that reveals a character's inner thoughts and reflections. Some of the most famous lines in drama are taken from soliloquies. Hamlet's famous "To be or not to be" speech is a soliloquy, for example.

Example Sentences

Who wouldn’t want to see the famous “to be or not to be” soliloquy delivered by Ahmed behind the wheel of a speeding car?

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

The soliloquy is especially impressive because Ms. Ocasio-Cortez could have taken cover under the fact that U.S. policy is to decline to answer the question.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

In a makeshift classroom, Mr White, the coach, launched into an extraordinary soliloquy.

From BBC • Sep. 6, 2025

One unauthorized visit to someone else's closet yields a brief soliloquy on the implication of a Patek Philippe timepiece.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2025

Margo managed to speak in her usual manic soliloquy without answering my question.

From "Paper Towns" by John Green

Related Words

• discourse
• monologue