monologue
C1Neutral, leaning slightly formal; common in literary, theatrical, and conversational contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A long, uninterrupted speech by one person, delivered to others or as if to oneself, with no expectation of response.
A dramatic composition or performance for a single actor; a prolonged, dominant talk by one person in a conversation.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a countable noun. Can describe a formal performance (e.g., in theatre) or a negative social behaviour (e.g., someone dominating a conversation).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'monologue' is standard in both. Pronunciation differs slightly (see IPA). Conceptually identical.
Connotations
Identical connotations in both varieties. Theatrical monologue is neutral; conversational monologue is often pejorative.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in UK English in theatrical contexts due to stronger tradition of stage monologues (e.g., Shakespeare).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
give/deliver a monologue (on/about X)go/launch/launch into a monologuea monologue about/on/concerning XVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To be on a monologue”
- “Monologue is not a dialogue”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Negative: 'The meeting was useless—the CEO just delivered a monologue for an hour.'
Academic
Neutral/Descriptive: 'The paper analyses the function of the dramatic monologue in Victorian poetry.'
Everyday
Pejorative:
Technical
Specific: 'The actor's audition piece was a two-minute contemporary monologue.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He monologued at length about Brexit, barely pausing for breath.
- The villain monologued, giving the hero time to escape.
American English
- She monologued about her startup for twenty minutes straight.
- Politicians often monologue instead of answering questions directly.
adverb
British English
- Not a standard derivation; no established adverbial form.
- He spoke monologically. (extremely rare, non-standard)
American English
- Not a standard derivation; no established adverbial form.
- She presented her ideas monologue-style. (informal)
adjective
British English
- His monologue style was more suited to the stage than the boardroom. (attributive noun use)
- She delivered a monologue performance of astounding intensity.
American English
- The play is a monologue piece for a single actor.
- He has a tendency toward monologue discourse in meetings.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher gave a long monologue about safety.
- He talked for ten minutes. It was a monologue.
- In the play, the main character has a sad monologue at the end.
- I tried to speak, but she continued her monologue about her holiday.
- The comedian's opening monologue was both hilarious and insightful.
- Effective leaders facilitate dialogue; they avoid delivering lengthy monologues.
- The novel employs an interior monologue to reveal the protagonist's stream of consciousness.
- His response wasn't a point in the debate but rather a rehearsed political monologue.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: MONO (one) + LOGUE (speech) = a speech by one person.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONVERSATION IS A JOURNEY (to go off on a monologue); THINKING IS INNER SPEECH (interior monologue).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not directly equivalent to 'монолог' in all contexts. Russian 'монолог' is more strictly literary/theatrical, while English 'monologue' is also used critically for everyday speech.
- Avoid using 'monologue' for a simple 'speech' or 'report' (доклад).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'monolog' (less common but acceptable in US).
- Using it as a verb incorrectly (e.g., 'He monologued' is informal/rare).
- Confusing 'monologue' (to others/audience) with 'soliloquy' (to oneself).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes an 'interior monologue'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not inherently. In theatre, it's neutral/positive. In conversation, it often has a negative connotation, implying one person is talking too much without letting others participate.
Both are speeches by one person. A 'monologue' is addressed to other characters or the audience. A 'soliloquy' is a character speaking their thoughts aloud, alone on stage, not addressing anyone.
Informally, yes ('to monologue'), but it's less common and considered a conversion from the noun. In formal writing, phrases like 'deliver a monologue' or 'go into a monologue' are preferred.
A poetic form, popular in the 19th century, where a single speaker addresses a silent listener, revealing their character and often a dramatic situation (e.g., Robert Browning's 'My Last Duchess').
Collections
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Literary Language
C1 · 48 words · Vocabulary for reading and writing about literature.