Monopoly

/məˈnɒpəli/ name, noun

name, noun ·Moderate ·College level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: A situation, by legal privilege or other agreement, in which solely one party (company, cartel etc.) exclusively provides a particular product or service, dominating that market and generally exerting powerful control over it.
  • Grammar: monopoly is listed as name, noun.
  • Nearest alternatives: a corner on, arrest, arrestation, bear raid.
  • Useful contrasts: competition, competitive market, counterbalance.
  • Usage evidence: The company has a monopoly on the nation's tobacco business.

How to use "monopoly"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "monopoly" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "monopoly" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "monopoly" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "monopoly" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "monopoly" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "a corner on" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "monopoly", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A situation, by legal privilege or other agreement, in which solely one party (company, cartel etc.) exclusively provides a particular product or service, dominating that market and generally exerting powerful control over it.

    "The sale of the leaves and roots was a Government monopoly, and from it the Kings of Kôr derived a large proportion of their private revenue."

  2. 2
    a board game in which players try to gain a monopoly on real estate as pieces advance around the board according to the throw of a die wordnet
  3. 3
    An exclusive control over the trade or production of a commodity or service through exclusive possession.

    "A land monopoly renders its holder(s) nearly almighty in an agricultural society."

  4. 4
    exclusive control or possession of something wordnet
  5. 5
    The privilege granting the exclusive right to exert such control.

    "Granting monopolies in concession constitutes a market-conform alternative to taxation for the state, while the crown sometimes bestowed a monopoly as an outrageous gift."

Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    (economics) a market in which there are many buyers but only one seller wordnet
  2. 7
    The market thus controlled. metonymically
  3. 8
    The holder (person, company or other) of such market domination in one of the above manners. metonymically
Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A board game in which players use play money to buy and trade properties, with the objective of forcing opponents into bankruptcy.

    "I was playing Monopoly with my friends at 12:00am last night."

Synonyms

All synonyms
a corner onarrestarrestationbear raidbingoboard game

Antonyms

competitioncompetitive marketcounterbalancedigital game

Example

"The company has a monopoly on the nation's tobacco business."

Common questions

What does "monopoly" mean?

A situation, by legal privilege or other agreement, in which solely one party (company, cartel etc.) exclusively provides a particular product or service, dominating that market and generally exerting powerful control over it.

What is a synonym for "monopoly"?

Common synonyms include: a corner on, arrest, arrestation, bear raid, bingo, board game.

How do you use "monopoly" in a sentence?

The company has a monopoly on the nation's tobacco business.

How do you pronounce "monopoly"?

Pronounced /məˈnɒpəli/.

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Latin monopōlium, from Ancient Greek μονοπώλιον (monopṓlion, “a right of exclusive sale”), from μόνος (mónos, “sole”) + πωλέω (pōléō, “I barter, sell”). By surface analysis, mono- + -poly.

Etymology 2

See monopoly.

More for "monopoly"