monologue
Americannoun
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a form of dramatic entertainment, comedic solo, or the like by a single speaker.
a comedian's monologue.
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a prolonged talk or discourse by a single speaker, especially one dominating or monopolizing a conversation.
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any composition, as a poem, in which a single person speaks alone.
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a part of a drama in which a single actor speaks alone; soliloquy.
noun
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a long speech made by one actor in a play, film, etc, esp when alone
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a dramatic piece for a single performer
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any long speech by one person, esp when interfering with conversation
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of monologue
1615–25; < French, on the model of dialogue dialogue; compare Greek monólogos speaking alone
Explanation
A monologue is a speech delivered by one person, or a long one-sided conversation that makes you want to pull your hair out from boredom. The Greek root word monologos translates to “speaking alone,” and that’s a monologue: one person doing all the talking. In theatre, sometimes a character has a monologue that they perform. You might have an internal monologue where you talk to yourself to better understand some dilemma. Some people talk forever in a constant monologue, never letting you speak. If two people talk back and forth, it’s a dialogue, which is different and probably more fun for everyone.
Vocabulary lists containing monologue
"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from all 4 Acts
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"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from Act 3
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Reading: Literature - Drama - Introductory
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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.
But Levinson’s screenplay, with its carefully engineered pivots from Defensive Monologue A to Overlong Diatribe B, has none of Cassavetes’ ragged spontaneity.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2021
Student actors participate in the August Wilson Monologue Competition, which celebrates the writing of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” in the documentary “Giving Voice.”
From Washington Post • Dec. 9, 2020
That’s halfway to being a particularly chilling Contemporary Monologue for Young Actors.
From Slate • Jun. 30, 2018
SUN Monologue performed by Dan Niven, 7:30 p.m.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 14, 2012
How the Two-Act Differs from the Monologue Turn to the Appendix and read "The Art of Flirtation," by Aaron Hoffman.
From Writing for Vaudeville by Page, Brett
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.
