Monopoly is a noun referring to exclusive control of a commodity or service in a market, or a board game in which players buy and trade properties. It denotes dominant market power or the game itself, emphasizing control and strategy. In everyday use, it can describe a single entity that dominates a field, often with implications of limited competition.
"The tech giant achieved a near-monopoly in cloud services, edging out rivals."
"During the board game night, I struggled to escape the monopoly of hopeless property management."
"Some critics warn that platform monopolies stifle innovation and consumer choice."
"The book discusses how monopolies can shape policy and market dynamics."
Monopoly comes from the French monarchie de monopole, from late Latin monopolium, formed from Greek monos 'one' + polein 'to sell' (in the sense of a market where a single seller controls supply). The term migrated into English via legal and economic discourse in the 18th–19th centuries, originally describing exclusive rights or privileges conferred by a government to a single seller. In the commercial sense, it gained prominence in the 19th century with the rise of industrial trusts and railroads, where one company could dominate a market. The board game Monopoly, created in the 20th century, borrowed the term to reflect the gameplay of acquiring and consolidating property by monopolization, echoing the economic concept. The word’s usage broadened to describe any situation of single-entity control, often with a pejorative undertone about competition and market fairness. First known printed use in English dates to the mid-1800s in the context of economic policy, with the game’s commercialization popularizing the term globally.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Monopoly" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Monopoly"
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Pronounce as /məˈnɒpəli/ in US and UK, with the main stress on the second syllable: muh-NOP-uh-lee. The middle syllable carries the primary beat: /ˈnɒp/. Start with a relaxed /m/ followed by a soft /ə/ or /ɪ/ depending on speaker, then /ˈnɒp/ and finally /li/. For example, say 'muh-NOP-uh-lee'. In American speech, you may hear a light schwa in the second syllable; in careful speech, keep the /ɒ/ as in 'lot'.”,
Common errors include misplacing the stress (say /məˈnɒpəli/ rather than /ˌmoʊnɒˈpəli/), softening or omitting the middle consonant cluster, and either over-pronouncing the final -ly (/li/) or reducing it to /l/. Another frequent mistake is treating the middle sound as /noʊ/ as in 'mono-' instead of /nɒp/. Correct by practicing the exact IPA: /məˈnɒpəli/; emphasize the ‘NOP’ chunk and finish with a crisp ‘lee’.”,
In US, the first syllable is /mə/ with a light schwa; second stressed /ˈnɒp/ uses a short o as in ‘lot’, final /li/ is light. UK retains /ˈnɒpə/ with a schwa-like second syllable; rhoticity is reduced in non-rhotic speech so the final 'r' isn’t pronounced, and the /ɒ/ remains broad. Australian pronunciation is similar to UK but can feature slight vowel raising in /ɒ/ and a more clipped final /li/. Across accents, the primary stress is on the second syllable; vowel quality shifts subtly, and the final /li/ remains a clean, light syllable.”,
The difficulty comes from the two vowels after the stressed /nɒ/ and the final /li/ which often becomes /li/ or blends with a light /l/. The sequence /ˈnɒp/ requires a crisp, short vowel in the middle, which many speakers reduce inadvertently. Additionally, the word’s trochaic profile (strong-weak-weak) with a stressed second syllable can feel counterintuitive. Mastery requires careful control of vowel length, accurate consonant timing, and a clear final syllable.”,
Is there a silent letter in Monopoly? No. Every letter contributes to pronunciation: /məˈnɒpəli/ includes no silent letters. The middle syllable centers on /ɒ/ with a clear /p/ closure; the final /li/ is pronounced as a light, separate syllable. The challenge is the syllable boundary and maintaining even tempo across three syllables without collapsing the middle into /nəˈpoʊli/.”,
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