monstrous

[ mon-struhs ]

/ ˈmɒn strəs /

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See synonyms for: monstrous / monstrously / monstrousness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

frightful or hideous, especially in appearance; extremely ugly.

shocking or revolting; outrageous: monstrous cruelty.

extraordinarily great; huge; immense: a monstrous building.

deviating grotesquely from the natural or normal form or type.

having the nature or appearance of a fabulous monster.

adverb

extremely; exceedingly; very.

OTHER WORDS FOR monstrous

1, 2 horrible, atrocious.

See synonyms for monstrous on Thesaurus.com

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of monstrous

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Latin word mōnstrōsus. See monster, -ous

synonym study for monstrous

3. See gigantic.

OTHER WORDS FROM monstrous

mon·strous·ly, adverbmon·strous·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use monstrous in a sentence

Keeping track of your kid’s toys, diapers, extra clothes, snacks, and pacifiers can be a monstrous task, especially if you start running out of room.
Wonderful wet bags for you and your kid|PopSci Commerce Team|January 18, 2021|Popular-Science
As a result, more and more fires were crossing a poorly understood threshold from typical wildfires—part of a normal burn cycle for a landscape like California’s—to monstrous, highly destructive blazes.
What the complex math of fire modeling tells us about the future of California’s forests|Amy Nordrum|January 18, 2021|MIT Technology Review
Your history promotes your mom’s behavior from obnoxious to monstrous.
Carolyn Hax: Bride’s mom has a ‘toxic’ attitude about her daughter’s weight|Carolyn Hax|November 5, 2020|Washington Post
Morey’s teams have favored small ball in recent years, and Brand’s 76ers’ have built a monstrous front line around all-star center Joel Embiid.
Daryl Morey in advanced talks to lead 76ers’ front office|Ben Golliver|October 28, 2020|Washington Post

In these novels, empire is Other and monstrous and deserves to be treated as such.
Gothic novels are obsessed with borders. Mexican Gothic takes full advantage.|Constance Grady|October 16, 2020|Vox
And over coffee, Grimm seemed monstrously unprepared for a campaign, let alone Congress.
Michael Grimm’s Unhappily Ever After|David Freedlander|April 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The back story here is that reporting on the details of competing budget proposals is monstrously boring.
The Gov't's Shutdown Sham|Howard Kurtz|March 2, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Little boys when decking themselves out with tall hat and monstrously big clothes seem to be trying to put on an alarming aspect.
Children's Ways|James Sully
He tried to console her, to amuse her, but what distraction could be found to appeal to that monstrously apathetic nature?
The Nabob|Alphonse Daudet
I vow, Polly, I shall take it monstrously ill if you refuse me.
The Beggar's Opera|John Gay
He doubted neither his sight nor his reason, but something was monstrously out of joint.
The Devil in Iron|Robert E. Howard
It must seem monstrously cruel of me, but I was now quite light-hearted again.
The Little White Bird|J. M. Barrie

British Dictionary definitions for monstrous

monstrous

/ (ˈmɒnstrəs) /

adjective

abnormal, hideous, or unnatural in size, character, etc

(of plants and animals) abnormal in structure

outrageous, atrocious, or shockingit is monstrous how badly he is treated

hugea monstrous fire

of, relating to, or resembling a monster

Derived forms of monstrous

monstrously, adverbmonstrousness, noun

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

monstrous

OTHER WORDS FOR monstrous

Origin of monstrous

synonym study for monstrous

OTHER WORDS FROM monstrous

Words related to monstrous

How to use monstrous in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for monstrous

Derived forms of monstrous