monument

noun

mon·​u·​ment ˈmän-yə-mənt How to pronounce monument (audio)
Synonyms of monument
1
obsolete : a burial vault : sepulchre
2
: a written legal document or record : treatise
3
a(1)
: a lasting evidence, reminder, or example of someone or something notable or great
The project sits unfinished as a monument to folly.
… Stonehenge yet stands: a monument of the earlier time when the Roman name was unknown in Britain …—Charles Dickens
(2)
: a distinguished person
b
: a memorial stone or a building erected in remembrance of a person or event
4
archaic : an identifying mark : evidence
also : portent, sign
5
obsolete : a carved statue : effigy
6
: a boundary or position marker (such as a stone)
7
: national monument
8
: a written tribute

Synonyms of monument

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Examples of monument in a Sentence

They have erected a monument in his honor. the Quakers disapproved of monuments, regarding them as idolatrous, so thousands of Nantucketers spend their eternal rest in complete anonymity
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.
Under Burgum's 2025 campaign, signs, books, films and exhibits covering topics such as slavery, climate change and the massacre of Native Americans were flagged and removed from national parks and monuments nationwide. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 Police identified the suspect as Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, 27, of Stafford, Virginia, who was allegedly striking the monument with a sledgehammer when officers arrived. — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Egypt's top-ranking monument, the Pyramids at Giza, near Cairo, lies north of the path of totality and will get a 95% partial solar eclipse. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 22 Oct. 2026 The capital city’s grand monuments, world-class museums and scores of parks have always been accessible, allowing them to be completely integrated into the lives of Washingtonians. — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for monument

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin monumentum, literally, memorial, from monēre to remind — more at mind

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of monument was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing monument

Browse Nearby Words

montuvio
monument
monumental
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Monument.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monument. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

monument

noun
mon·​u·​ment ˈmän-yə-mənt How to pronounce monument (audio)
1
: something that serves as a memorial
especially : a building, pillar, stone, or statue honoring a person or event
2
: a work, saying, or deed that lasts or that is worth preserving
the book is a monument of scholarship
3
: a boundary marker (as a stone)
4
: a place of historic interest or natural beauty set aside and maintained by the government as public property

More from Merriam-Webster on monument

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about monument

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