monologue

American  

[mon-uh-lawg, -log] / ˈmɒn əˌlɔg, -ˌlɒg /

Or monolog

noun

monologues plural

1. a form of dramatic entertainment, comedic solo, or the like by a single speaker.

   a comedian's monologue.

2. a prolonged talk or discourse by a single speaker, especially one dominating or monopolizing a conversation.

3. any composition, as a poem, in which a single person speaks alone.

4. a part of a drama in which a single actor speaks alone; soliloquy.

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monologue British  

/ məˈnɒləɡɪst, mɒˈnɒlədʒɪ, ˈmɒnəˌlɒɡɪst, ˌmɒnəˈlɒdʒɪk, ˈmɒnəˌlɒɡ /

noun

1. a long speech made by one actor in a play, film, etc, esp when alone

2. a dramatic piece for a single performer

3. any long speech by one person, esp when interfering with conversation

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• monologist
  noun
• monologuist
  noun
• monology
  noun
• monologic
  adjective
• monological
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• monologues
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

monologue monologues

Years later, when “SNL” developed its opening monologue, it served a similar purpose.

From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026

Rogen came up with some of the biggest laugh lines and Norton wrote the deeply earnest monologue he delivers late in the film.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026

Quickly editing my interior monologue, as to not admit psychosis: “That’s my dog.”

From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026

Yes, I was looking at the monologue, the two pages that they gave me.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026

"A pizza parlor," I replied, pretty much stunned after his monologue topped off my last two days.

From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos

Over the past week Greenwater became a punchline for late-night monologues, and Antinone scrubbed his phone number from the internet after being inundated with angry voicemails accusing him of swimming in corrupt public cash.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

On one weekend in Tokyo, hundreds of visitors flocked to a zine fair showcasing a wide range of handmade magazines in different sizes and formats -- some incorporating abstract designs, photography or personal monologues.

From Barron's ● Jun. 1, 2026

For the next 12 years, Colbert’s topical, opening monologues riffed heavily off the news, and that included healthy doses of satire about Trump the candidate or President Trump.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026

Jamieson says there isn't the same history of comedy monologues in British TV and adds they're more commonplace in America due to a culture of late-night TV chat shows.

From BBC ● May 17, 2026

My father would read to me from the great monologues during the long wagon rides between towns.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Related Words

• discourse
• harangue
• lecture
• sermon
• soliloquy
• speech