noun
Common
monopoly
muh-NO-puh-lee
Monopoly (noun) means Complete or exclusive control over the supply of a product or service, shutting out competitors. Example: “For many years the railway company enjoyed a monopoly on travel between the two towns.”
noun
1
Complete or exclusive control over the supply of a product or service, shutting out competitors.
"For many years the railway company enjoyed a monopoly on travel between the two towns."
"My great grandfather had the monopoly of eggs in all of China and my grandmother was super rich living in a mansion when the cultural revolution happened and communism took everything away."
— Kay Tye, Twitter (tweet) (2020)
"A land monopoly renders its holder(s) nearly almighty in an agricultural society."
"The utility company held a monopoly over electricity in the region."
"Antitrust laws exist to prevent harmful monopolies from forming."
How to use monopoly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTotal control of a market or industry by a single company, with no real competition left.
Common pairings
hold a monopoly
break up a monopoly
monopoly on power
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Word forms
- Plural
- monopolies
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For many years the railway company enjoyed a _____ on travel between the two towns.
Etymology
From Latin monopolium, from Greek monopolion, "the exclusive right to sell," combining monos (sole) with poleo (to sell).
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for monopoly
See all rhymes for monopoly →Frequently asked questions
What does “monopoly” mean?
The word “monopoly” means complete or exclusive control over the supply of a product or service, shutting out competitors. In plain terms, total control of a market or industry by a single company, with no real competition left.
How do you pronounce “monopoly”?
“Monopoly” is pronounced muh-NO-puh-lee (/məˈnɑpəli/ in IPA).
How do you use “monopoly” in a sentence?
Here is “monopoly” used in a sentence: “The utility company held a monopoly over electricity in the region.”
What part of speech is “monopoly”?
“Monopoly” is a noun.
Where does the word “monopoly” come from?
The word “monopoly” comes from Latin. From Latin monopolium, from Greek monopolion, "the exclusive right to sell," combining monos (sole) with poleo (to sell).
Is “monopoly” a common word?
“Monopoly” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between a monopoly and an oligopoly?
A monopoly involves complete or exclusive control over the supply of a product or service by a single entity, shutting out competitors entirely, while an oligopoly involves control shared among a small number of firms rather than just one.
What is an example of the word monopoly used outside of business?
Monopoly can be used figuratively to describe exclusive control over anything, not just goods or services, such as a country having a monopoly on a natural resource or a group having a monopoly on decision-making power.
How is monopoly typically used in a sentence about business?
Monopoly is often used with verbs like hold, have, or break, as in the company held a monopoly on the market, describing exclusive control that shuts out competing suppliers.
