monopolize

especially British, mo·nop·o·lise

[muh-nop-uh-lahyz]

verb (used with object)

monopolized, monopolizing 

1. to acquire, have, or exercise a monopoly of.

2. to obtain exclusive possession of; keep entirely to oneself.

   Children monopolize one's time.

monopolize

/ məˈnɒpəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. to have, control, or make use of fully, excluding others

2. to obtain, maintain, or exploit a monopoly of (a market, commodity, etc)

Other Word Forms

• monopolizer noun
• monopolization noun
• antimonopolization adjective
• overmonopolize verb (used with object)
• premonopolize verb (used with object)
• unmonopolized adjective
• unmonopolizing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of monopolize¹

First recorded in 1605–15; monopol(y) + -ize

Example Sentences

“For every Element that they have been able to monopolize, we have two. I never thought it would come to this but perhaps, as with all things, the time has come,” he wrote Friday.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Major sponsors are still ubiquitous at the Games, where only Visa credit cards are accepted and Coca-Cola products monopolize the concession stands, but venues and fields of play have remained commercial-free.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But the task of depicting a future Los Angeles hasn’t been monopolized by fiction writers.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Schepple said, “We can spot the legalistic autocrats while they are still consolidating power because they have ambitions to monopolize power and tend to use the same toolbox of tricks.”

Read more on Salon

On one side was Continental and Northwest, which claimed larger rival American Airlines had illegally lowered fares to monopolize certain markets.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• absorb 
• exclude 
• possess 
• take over 
• utilize