monetary

adjective

mon·​e·​tary ˈmä-nə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce monetary (audio)
also ˈmə-
Synonyms of monetary
: of or relating to money or to the mechanisms by which it is supplied to and circulates in the economy
a crime committed for monetary gain
a government's monetary policy
monetarily
ˌmä-nə-ˈter-ə-lē How to pronounce monetary (audio)
also ˌmə-
adverb

Synonyms of monetary

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Examples of monetary in a Sentence

a crime committed for monetary gain Gold was once the basis of the U.S. monetary system.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This compounding debt burden increasingly tests the Federal Reserve's ability to maintain monetary policy independence under fiscal strain. — CNBC, 30 Oct. 2026 Venus spends all of November forming a sextile to Jupiter, which offers you some monetary assistance to put toward your home (or at least opens a way financially to make things happen). — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Oct. 2026 Fed Chair Kevin Warsh said at a news conference on Wednesday that AI investment is not insulated from monetary policy. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2026 Still, the past quarter’s strong growth story gives the Fed more of a runway to combat rising prices by increasing interest rates by at least a quarter point at its next monetary policy meeting in December. — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for monetary

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin monetarius of a mint, of money, from Latin moneta

First Known Use

1663, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of monetary was in 1663

Phrases Containing monetary

Rhymes for monetary

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Browse Nearby Words

monetarism
monetary
monetary aggregate
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Cite this Entry

“Monetary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monetary. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

monetary

adjective
mon·​e·​tary ˈmän-ə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce monetary (audio)
also ˈmən-
: of or relating to money
this administration's monetary policy
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