soliloquy

American  

[suh-lil-uh-kwee] / səˈlɪl ə kwi /

noun

• soliloquies
  plural

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.”

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• soliloquies
  plural

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; see -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

See Examples For:

soliloquy soliloquies

Then they had me read Hamlet’s soliloquy, “To be or not to be.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

The episode’s signature moment comes in a soliloquy from Gen Z hero Ava Daniels, in which she rips into the idea that A.I. is inevitable and talks about how we can and should fight it.

From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2026

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

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

From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2025

A couple of people are arguing about Shakespeare, and then someone stands on a chair and basically bellows Hamlet’s soliloquy into this other dude’s ear.

From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli

Mr. Zeldin writes crisp, fluid, naturalistic dialogue; unlike in Greek tragedies, there are no soliloquies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 2026

As a long-time viewer of “Morning Joe,” I am quite used to Joe and Mika’s self-aggrandizing soliloquies.

From Salon ● Nov. 22, 2024

But after the midmorning break, the judge appeared less interested in cutting off Trump’s off-topic soliloquies.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 6, 2023

LuPone, whose first number was “Being Alive” from “Company,” which is a bit like walking on stage and diving headlong into one of Hamlet’s great soliloquies, was like a precious emerald in a bejeweled crown.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2023

Her soliloquies mawkish, her sentiments maudlin, malaise dripped like a fever from her pores.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Related Words

• discourse
• monologue