monumental

American  

[mon-yuh-men-tl] / ˌmɒn yəˈmɛn tl /

adjective

1. resembling a monument; massive or imposing.

   Synonyms:

   colossal, immense

2. exceptionally great, as in quantity, quality, extent, or degree.

   a monumental work.

3. of historical or enduring significance.

   a monumental victory.

4. Fine Arts. having the quality of being larger than life; of heroic scale.

5. of or relating to a monument or monuments.

6. serving as a monument.

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monumental British  

/ ˌmɒnjʊˈmɛntəl /

adjective

1. like a monument, esp in large size, endurance, or importance

   a monumental work of art

2. of, relating to, or being a monument

3. informal (intensifier)

   monumental stupidity

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Other Word Forms

• monumentalism noun
• monumentality noun
• monumentally adverb
• premonumental adjective
• unmonumental adjective

Etymology

Origin of monumental

From the Late Latin word monumentālis, dating back to 1595–1605. See monument, -al ¹

Example Sentences

What is behind the monumental rally in precious metals, and how long can it last?

From Barron's

Rivera’s monumental frescos require constant scraping and repainting.

From The Wall Street Journal

They said: "To have overlooked it and not realised its importance is the most monumental piece of incompetence."

From BBC

"I knew it would be a monumental moment for Rhythms on the Runway and for Ghana," she says.

From BBC

Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei said he was planning a "monumental" work in Manchester for his first major show in the north of England.

From BBC

Related Words

• awesome
• enduring
• enormous
• fantastic
• gigantic
• grand
• great
• historic
• huge
• immense
• mammoth
• massive
• memorable
• significant
• towering
• tremendous
• unforgettable
• vast