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Synonyms

monumental

American  
[mon-yuh-men-tl] / ˌmɒn yəˈmɛn tl /

adjective

  1. resembling a monument; massive or imposing.

    Synonyms:
    colossal, immense

  2. exceptionally great, as in quantity, quality, extent, or degree.

    a monumental work.

  3. of historical or enduring significance.

    a monumental victory.

  4. Fine Arts. having the quality of being larger than life; of heroic scale.

  5. of or relating to a monument or monuments.

  6. serving as a monument.

monumental British  
/ ˌmɒnjʊˈmɛntəl /

adjective

  1. like a monument, esp in large size, endurance, or importance

    a monumental work of art

  2. of, relating to, or being a monument

  3. informal (intensifier)

    monumental stupidity
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • monumentalism noun
  • monumentality noun
  • monumentally adverb
  • premonumental adjective
  • unmonumental adjective

Etymology

Origin of monumental

From the Late Latin word monumentālis, dating back to 1595–1605. See monument, -al 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Trump said he was looking forward to the "monumental" trip, which was originally due to take place at the end of March, and would host Xi and his wife in Washington later this year.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

Unlike the soft, pliable versions of the Christ child in his early Madonnas, this is a monumental, muscular putto, using his strength to hold that garland aloft.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

Adex, who moved to Manchester from Germany as a child, recently said hosting both the Brits and Mobos in the same year is "a monumental mark for the city".

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

If achieved, that would be a monumental feat.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026

Altogether, they uncovered more than ten monumental structures, the largest of them nearly 100 feet across.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.