monologue

/ˈmɒnəlɒɡ/ (bre, ipa) · [mˈɑnəlˌɔɡ] /ˈmɑːnəlɔːɡ/ (ame, ipa) · [mˈɑnəlˌɔɡ] /ˈmä-nə-ˌlȯg How to pronounce monologue (audio) -ˌläg/ (ame, mw)

monologue — noun

  • monologuesingular
  • monologuesplural

1. a long stretch of spoken lines said by one person, especially by a character on

1.名詞B2
釋義

a long stretch of spoken lines said by one person, especially by a character on stage, on screen, or in another performed story.

例句

In the final scene, Noa delivers a monologue about losing her home.

deliver a monologue in a performance

The actor practised the opening monologue in front of the bathroom mirror.

collocation: opening monologue

同義詞
  • soliloquy

    usually a character speaking alone or revealing private thoughts directly to the audience

  • speech

    broader and not limited to theatre or performance

  • address

    more formal and usually aimed at a public audience rather than part of a drama

反義詞
  • dialogue

    an exchange of lines between two or more speakers

文法句型

deliver a monologue

perform a monologue

monologue about [topic]

用法筆記

This sense is common in theatre and film. A monologue is spoken by one person, but other characters may still be present, so it is broader than a soliloquy.

常見錯誤

❌The actor and actress shared a monologue on stage.
✅The actor and actress shared a dialogue on stage.
💡'monologue' is for one speaker, not two people exchanging lines.

2. a long piece of talk in which one person keeps speaking and leaves little chance

2.名詞C1
釋義

a long piece of talk in which one person keeps speaking and leaves little chance for anyone else to answer.

例句

At dinner, Christopher turned a simple question into a twenty-minute monologue.

turn something into a monologue

The meeting stalled while one manager launched into another monologue about budgets.

launch into a monologue

同義詞
  • rant

    more emotional and angry than a monologue

  • tirade

    stronger and more hostile, often a burst of criticism

  • lecture

    can sound one-sided, but often includes teaching or advice

反義詞
  • conversation

    a two-way exchange in which people can respond to each other

文法句型

launch into a monologue

turn something into a monologue

用法筆記

This sense is usually negative. It suggests that the speaker talks for too long and does not leave room for a real conversation.

常見錯誤

❌She monologued the whole table for thirty minutes.
✅She launched into a monologue for thirty minutes.
💡English normally uses 'launch into a monologue' or 'give a monologue', not 'monologue' as a verb in this meaning.

3. a short dramatic work written for a single performer rather than a cast of sever

3.名詞C1
釋義

a short dramatic work written for a single performer rather than a cast of several people.

例句

The fringe festival opened with a monologue about a nurse on night duty.

festival programme: a monologue

Ines wrote a monologue for her final theatre project at university.

write a monologue

同義詞
  • one-person play

    plain descriptive term for a drama performed by one person

  • solo show

    broader and can include comedy or storytelling as well as drama

  • dramatic sketch

    shorter and broader; not always limited to one performer

反義詞

文法句型

write a monologue

stage a monologue

用法筆記

Here the word means the whole piece of drama, not just one speech inside a larger play.

常見錯誤

❌The director wrote a monologue scene for six actors.
✅The director wrote an ensemble scene for six actors.
💡a monologue in this sense is built for one performer.