monumental

Language: en

🇬🇧 /ˌmɒnjʊˈmɛntəl/ 🇺🇸 /ˌmɑnjəˈmɛntəl/

📖 Definitions

  1. adjective
    Great in importance, extent, or size; of outstanding significance.; Serving as or resembling a monument; massive and imposing in structure or appearance.; Relating to or consisting of a monument.; Extremely large or great, often used informally to emphasize the degree of something negative.; Enduring or lasting; worthy of being commemorated.; Of or relating to monumental sculpture or architecture, characterized by grandeur and permanence.

🔗 Details

Word forms

Comparative: more monumental Superlative: most monumental

Collocations

monumental taskmonumental effortmonumental achievementmonumental mistakemonumental failuremonumental change

Derivatives

monumentallymonumentmonumentality

Synonyms

enormouscolossaltremendousmassiveimmensegigantic

Antonyms

trivialinsignificantminornegligible

Commonly confused

momentous
EN: 'Momentous' emphasizes the importance of consequences or historical significance; 'monumental' emphasizes great size, scale, or degree.
monumentary
EN: 'Monumentary' is an archaic/rare form meaning 'serving as a monument'; 'monumental' is the standard modern adjective.

Spelling tips

EN: Do not confuse 'monumental' with 'momentous'—they share a root but differ in meaning. Also avoid the misspelling 'monumental' with an extra 'e' (e.g., 'monumentale').

💬 Examples

  1. The discovery of penicillin was a monumental achievement in medicine.

  2. The monumental arch stood at the entrance to the ancient city.

  3. The city council approved the monumental inscription on the new statue.

  4. It was a monumental mistake to trust him with the company's finances.

  5. Her monumental contributions to science will be remembered for generations.

  6. The cathedral is a fine example of monumental Gothic architecture.