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

As Tao described their inner monologue: “It’s too hard—I’m not going to try.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

With his monologue coming to a close, I perked up when he finally said, “I have a question for you. Would you be interested in taking ballroom dancing classes with me?”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

“I guess my interior monologue is highly interpretable to people, and if you’re standing in a store and you see somebody really thinking and thinking, they’re like, ‘She must be restocking the shelves.’

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

“Our founding fathers drafted a charter to guarantee the rule of law and the rights of man,” says Obama in an introductory monologue.

From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026

It’s a three-minute monologue, too, so that’s pretty good.

From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy

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

After 11 years and more than 1,800 monologues, the late-night host’s most consistent target was himself.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 23, 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