Meaning & use
monstrous
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Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Extremely large in size or amount, often in a way that is shocking or unpleasant.
Grammar: Gradable: more monstrous, most monstrous.
Patterns
- a monstrous amount
- a monstrous building
- monstrously expensive
The company made a monstrous profit last year.
A monstrous wave crashed against the shore.
They live in a monstrous house with twenty rooms.
adjectivecomparable
Extremely ugly, frightening, or unnatural in appearance, like a monster.
Grammar: Gradable: more monstrous, most monstrous.
Patterns
- a monstrous creature
- look monstrous
- monstrous features
The film featured a monstrous creature from the deep.
The tree had a monstrous shape in the moonlight.
He described the beast as monstrous and terrifying.
adjectivecomparable
Shockingly wrong, cruel, or unfair; morally outrageous.
Grammar: Gradable: more monstrous, most monstrous.
Patterns
- a monstrous crime
- monstrous behavior
- it is monstrous that
It is monstrous that children should suffer for political gain.
The regime committed monstrous acts against its own people.
She called the decision monstrous and vowed to fight it.
Word forms
| comparative | more monstrous |
|---|---|
| superlative | most monstrous |
Common combinations
- monstrously expensive
- The tickets were monstrously expensive.
- a monstrous lie
- He told a monstrous lie to cover his tracks.
- monstrous behavior
- Such monstrous behavior cannot be excused.
- monstrous size
- The whale was of monstrous size.
Synonyms and how they differ
- huge
- Huge simply means very large; monstrous adds a sense of shock or disgust.
- hideous
- Hideous means extremely ugly or unpleasant; monstrous often suggests something frightening or unnatural.
- outrageous
- Outrageous means shocking or unacceptable; monstrous is stronger and suggests cruelty or evil.
Opposites
Word family
- monster noun
- A large, frightening creature or a very cruel person.
- monstrosity noun
- Something that is very large, ugly, or unnatural.
- monstrously adverb
- In a monstrous way; extremely.
Commonly confused: monstrous or monumental? monstrous or monstrously?
monstrous vs monumental
Monumental means very large or important; monstrous means shockingly large or wrong.
monstrous vs monstrously
Monstrous is an adjective; monstrously is the adverb: a monstrous lie, but lie monstrously.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'monstrous' to mean morally outrageous?
Choose one answer.
Only 'It is monstrous to treat people that way' uses monstrous to mean morally outrageous; the others describe size or appearance.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “monstrous”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.