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

Adex, who moved to Manchester from Germany as a child, recently said hosting both the Brits and Mobos in the same year is "a monumental mark for the city".

From BBC

In the shadow of a tumultuous year, approximately one billion people worldwide tuned in to their flickering television sets to follow the monumental journey of Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders.

From Barron's

Unlike the soft, pliable versions of the Christ child in his early Madonnas, this is a monumental, muscular putto, using his strength to hold that garland aloft.

From The Wall Street Journal

Stepping into an iconic role is a huge moment for any actress, but Vivian Panka says her latest casting is "monumental".

From BBC

If achieved, that would be a monumental feat.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

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