monumental

[ mon-yuh-men-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

/ 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

Derived Forms

• ˌmonumenˈtality, noun
• ˌmonuˈmentally, adverb

Other Word Forms

• monu·mental·ism noun
• monu·men·tali·ty noun
• monu·mental·ly adverb
• premon·u·mental adjective
• unmon·u·mental adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of monumental¹

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

Example Sentences

And right now, millions of Americans are facing monumental financial uncertainty, heightening the odds that some of them get stuck in the cycle.

From Salon

The couple’s day-to-day concerns draw us in, Lennon’s fear of being deported as monumental as Ono’s custody battle for her daughter Kyoko from a previous marriage.

From Los Angeles Times

Yoon, a former prosecutor, chose to defend himself in court, a move that many consider a monumental mistake.

From Los Angeles Times

It would take a monumental effort for Sun to appear back in a U.S. courtroom, said one expert familiar with the extradition process.

From Los Angeles Times

“This action would create a monumental disruption in the progress we are making and runs the serious risk of worsening our homelessness crisis, not ending it,” they wrote.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• awesome
• enduring
• enormous
• fantastic
• gigantic
• grand
• great
• historic
• huge
• immense
• mammoth
• massive
• memorable
• significant
• towering
• tremendous
• unforgettable
• vast