monologue
gb/mˈɑnoʊlˌɔɡ/ us/mˈɑnoʊlˌɔɡ/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
event
1
Long one-person speech
a long speech by one person, often when others cannot really join in
Usage pattern:
a monologue about [something]; launch into a monologue
Common mistake:
Do not use monologue for a normal two-way conversation; that is a dialogue or conversation.
Synonyms
speech (more general and not necessarily one-sided or too long)
|
lecture (suggests a long, often critical or instructive talk)
|
rant (suggests anger or strong emotion)
|
tirade (stronger and more negative; an angry extended speech)
Antonyms
dialogue (a two-way exchange between people)
|
conversation (an interactive talk rather than one person speaking at length)
Collocations
long monologue
|rambling monologue
|endless monologue
|five-minute monologue
|political monologue
|personal monologue
|launch into a monologue
|listen to a monologue
|turn into a monologue
|interrupt a monologue
Themes
communication
|conversation
Examples
- At dinner, Mark launched into a monologue about his marathon training.
- The meeting became a monologue, with the manager answering her own questions.
- Her voice message was a five-minute monologue about the broken dishwasher.
Learner examples
- His answer was a long monologue.
- Please don't turn the discussion into a monologue.
Noun
B2
event
2
Solo performance speech
a speech performed by one person in a play, show, film, audition, or comedy routine
Usage pattern:
perform/deliver a monologue; a monologue from [a play/show/film]
Common mistake:
A monologue is performed by one speaker; a scene with several speakers is usually called dialogue.
Synonyms
solo speech (clearer and more literal, but less established as a term)
|
soliloquy (usually a theatrical speech in which a character speaks their thoughts aloud)
|
routine (used especially for comedy, but can include more than spoken text)
|
set piece (a prepared performance section, not necessarily only spoken by one person)
Antonyms
dialogue (spoken exchange between two or more characters or performers)
|
ensemble scene (a performance scene involving several performers)
Collocations
opening monologue
|comedy monologue
|dramatic monologue
|audition monologue
|Shakespeare monologue
|scripted monologue
|perform a monologue
|deliver a monologue
|write a monologue
|rehearse a monologue
Themes
theater
|film
|television
|comedy
|performance
Examples
- The actor chose a Shakespeare monologue for her audition.
- Every episode begins with the host's monologue about the day's news.
- The comedian's monologue got the biggest laughs of the night.
Learner examples
- She performed a short monologue on stage.
- The host's monologue was funny.
Verb
C1
action
3
Talk at length alone
to talk for a long time while other people mostly just listen
Usage pattern:
[someone] monologues about [something]; [someone] monologues at/to [someone]
Common mistake:
The verb monologue is less common than the noun; in everyday speech, people often say talk for ages, go on, or lecture instead.
Synonyms
go on (informal; emphasizes talking too long)
|
hold forth (slightly formal or humorous; suggests speaking confidently at length)
|
lecture (suggests instructing or criticizing someone)
|
ramble (suggests long, unfocused talking)
Antonyms
converse (to take part in a two-way exchange)
|
listen (to receive speech rather than keep speaking)
Collocations
monologue about politics
|monologue for ten minutes
|monologue at the audience
|monologue to the camera
|monologue endlessly
|start monologuing
|keep monologuing
Themes
communication
|conversation
Examples
- He monologued for twenty minutes while everyone checked their phones.
- The professor tended to monologue instead of asking students questions.
- She monologued about office politics all the way home.
Learner examples
- He monologued about his trip.
- Try to ask questions, not just monologue.
Grammar
Dictionary form
monologue
IPA
GB/mˈɑnoʊlˌɔɡ/
US/mˈɑnoʊlˌɔɡ/
Syllables & stress
mono - logue (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (mono)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: monologue
- Plural: monologues
Expressions
audition monologue
1/ɔdˈɪʃən mˈɑnoʊlˌɔɡ/
fixed phrase
technical
Prepared audition speech
a short speech an actor prepares for an audition
Examples
- She prepared two audition monologues: one comic and one serious.
- The casting director asked him to choose a shorter audition monologue.
- A strong audition monologue should show the actor's range without running too long.
dramatic monologue
1/dɹəmˈætɪk mˈɑnoʊlˌɔɡ/
fixed phrase
literary
Character-revealing solo speech
a serious solo speech or poem spoken by one character
Examples
- Browning's "My Last Duchess" is a famous dramatic monologue.
- For class, students wrote a dramatic monologue in the voice of a historical figure.
- In the audition, he performed a dramatic monologue from a contemporary play.
inner monologue
1/ˈɪnɚ mˈɑnoʊlˌɔɡ/
fixed phrase
Private thoughts in words
the voice or thoughts inside your head
Examples
- My inner monologue was telling me to leave the party early.
- The novel lets us hear the hero's anxious inner monologue.
- During the interview, her inner monologue was much less confident than her answers.
interior monologue
1/ɪntˈɪɹiɚ mˈɑnoʊlˌɔɡ/
fixed phrase
literary
Literary stream of thought
a writing style that shows a character's thoughts directly
Examples
- Modernist writers often used interior monologue to show the flow of consciousness.
- The chapter shifts into interior monologue as the character walks through the city.
- Her essay compares interior monologue with traditional third-person narration.
late-night monologue
1/lˈeɪt nˈaɪt mˈɑnoʊlˌɔɡ/
fixed phrase
Late-show comic commentary
a funny opening speech by the host of a late-night show
Examples
- The scandal became material for every late-night monologue.
- She watched clips of the late-night monologue on her phone the next morning.
- His late-night monologue mixed political jokes with personal stories.
opening monologue
1/ˈoʊpənɪŋ mˈɑnoʊlˌɔɡ/
fixed phrase
Show-opening solo speech
the speech a host gives at the start of a show or event
Examples
- The host's opening monologue joked about the nominees.
- He rewrote his opening monologue minutes before the live broadcast.
- The opening monologue set a warm, playful tone for the evening.