Monologue
noun /ˈmɒnəlɒɡ/ — One voice, uninterrupted — a long speech that gives full range to a single perspective.
Definition
A lengthy speech by one person in a play, film, or conversation; a literary or dramatic piece in which a single speaker expresses thoughts, feelings, or arguments without interruption.
Beyond the definition
A great monologue is dangerous — it hands one person total authority over the room. When it works, the silence around it feels held. When it fails, the stillness of trapped listeners is the most uncomfortable quiet there is.
Origin & history
From Greek monologos — speaking alone (monos: alone + logos: word, speech). The singular voice given free rein.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Her monologue at the dinner table had started as an explanation and ended as a confession.
The soliloquy differs from a monologue: in a soliloquy, you speak your thoughts aloud; in a monologue, you speak them to someone.
He gave a brilliant monologue about loss — so precise it made everyone in the room feel addressed.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Monologue” when the meaning fits your context: A lengthy speech by one person in a play, film, or conversation; a literary or dramatic piece in which a single speaker expresses thoughts, feelings, or arguments without interruption.
Synonyms
Antonyms
dialogue, conversation, exchange
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Orator Commanding the Stage
An adult orator stands alone before a large, dark space with arms outstretched, their expression assertive and confident, delivering an intense, uninterrupted speech.
A monologue is a speech by one person without interruption. The orator standing alone, commanding the vast, empty space, perfectly visualizes the act of a single speaker expressing their thoughts or arguments, capturing the intensity and the weight of their words as they hold the audience’s focus entirely on their performance.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Monologue" mean?
Monologue is noun meaning: One voice, uninterrupted — a long speech that gives full range to a single perspective.. A lengthy speech by one person in a play, film, or conversation; a literary or dramatic piece in which a single speaker expresses thoughts, feelings, or arguments without interruption.
Where does the word "Monologue" come from?
From Greek monologos — speaking alone (monos: alone + logos: word, speech). The singular voice given free rein.