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.
English Heritage oversees some four hundred historic sites and monuments throughout England, including Stonehenge, Hadrian’s Wall, and the Westbury White Horse, as well as more than a million artifacts. — News Desk, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026 For heirs, an estate sale can be the final public monument to a parent or grandparent. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 5 Aug. 2026 Gripped by a paralyzing fear for the fate of her future children, Naama returns to the same monument where the infidelity took place; there, her parents appear before her. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2026 However, in May of that year, Milstein and Bank filed a lawsuit against the city to prevent it from being declared a historic and cultural monument. — Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 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 8 Aug. 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

Nglish: Translation of monument for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about monument

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