monopoly
an exclusive privilege to carry on a business, traffic, or service, granted by a government.
the exclusive possession or control of something.
something that is the subject of such control, as a commodity or service.
a company or group that has such control.
the market condition that exists when there is only one seller.
(initial capital letter) a board game in which a player attempts to gain a monopoly of real estate by advancing around the board and purchasing property, acquiring capital by collecting rent from other players whose pieces land on that property.
Origin of monopoly
1Other words from monopoly
- mo·nop·o·loid, adjective
- an·ti·mo·nop·o·ly, adjective
- pre·mo·nop·o·ly, noun, plural pre·mo·nop·o·lies, adjective
- pro·mo·nop·o·ly, adjective
Words Nearby monopoly
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use monopoly in a sentence
The Open Markets Institute, a nonprofit group that advocates against corporate monopolies, released a paper Monday criticizing Amazon’s employee surveillance practices.
After public outcry, Amazon deletes listings for 2 intelligence jobs that involved tracking ‘labor organizing threats’ | rhhackettfortune | September 1, 2020 | FortuneMicrosoft was legally found to be a monopoly 20 years ago, in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, and ordered broken into two companies.
Apple, Amazon, Google and Facebook set to preview antitrust defenses before Congress | Greg Sterling | July 28, 2020 | Search Engine LandThat system is currently owned by San Diego Gas and Electric, which enjoyed an energy monopoly in the region until recently.
Environment Report: The Latest Power Struggles for SDG&E and Sempra | MacKenzie Elmer | June 29, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoBecause SDG&E is an energy monopoly in our city, they can do what they want and have proven to put their profits over our city’s best interests.
Franchise Fee Deal Is a Chance for the City to Make Much-Needed Changes | Pia Piscitelli | June 23, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoAnother article from 2007 talking about how MySpace had an unbreakable monopoly in terms of social networking.
Most of the vendors were, like this woman, honorary Jews for the night, not that Jews have a monopoly on potato pancakes.
For decades, these two industrial brewers have basked in a sort of shared-monopoly over the Panamanian beer racket.
House of the Witch: The Renegade Craft Brewers of Panama | Jeff Campagna | November 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTMattson says the government bogarts this stuff, gathered at taxpayer expense, and maintains “a monopoly on the data.”
Ma wrote online, “Let the users decide who wins the game, not monopoly and power.”
And lest you be deceived, primary elections are no partisan monopoly.
In 1622 a monopoly of the importation of tobacco was granted to the Virginia and Somers Island, companies.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.He continued its sale, however, as a kingly monopoly, allowing only those to engage in it who paid him for the privilege.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.From its first cultivation in these countries it has been a government monopoly.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.Let it be observed also that we have hitherto been speaking as if all things were produced under a monopoly.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice | Stephen LeacockIt is the one which is sometimes called in books on economics the case of an unique monopoly.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice | Stephen Leacock
British Dictionary definitions for monopoly (1 of 2)
/ (məˈnɒpəlɪ) /
exclusive control of the market supply of a product or service
an enterprise exercising this control
the product or service so controlled
law the exclusive right or privilege granted to a person, company, etc, by the state to purchase, manufacture, use, or sell some commodity or to carry on trade in a specified country or area
exclusive control, possession, or use of something
Origin of monopoly
1Derived forms of monopoly
- monopolism, noun
- monopolist, noun
- monopolistic, adjective
- monopolistically, adverb
British Dictionary definitions for Monopoly (2 of 2)
/ (məˈnɒpəlɪ) /
trademark a board game for two to six players who throw dice to advance their tokens around a board, the object being to acquire the property on which their tokens land
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for monopoly
The exclusive control by one company of a service or product.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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