monopolize

/məˈnɒpəlʌɪz/

//məˈnɒpəlʌɪz// verb

"monopolize" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“monopolize” is uncommon English (frequency #54,949 among 4,057 “M” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#54,949
frequency rank, English
4,057
“M” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To have a monopoly on something.

Corpus desk

Index EN-monopolize · monopolize · English

monopolize · rank #54,949 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #54,949
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,057
  • PHOTO-FINISH monocle

Nearest frequency peer: monocle (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “monopolize”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “monopolize” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for monopolize
PropertyValue
Headwordmonopolize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/məˈnɒpəlʌɪz/
Letters10
Frequency rank#54,949
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “monopolize” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).monopolizefalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “monocle” (#54,948), “mone” (#54,947), “mitotic” (#54,945). Among 4,057 “M” headwords, “monopolize” is #54,949. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

monopolize is uncommon English at frequency #54,949 among 4,057 “M” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /məˈnɒpəlʌɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for monopolize, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From monopoly + -ize. The correct English form is monopolize, spelled M-O-N-O-P-O-L-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To have a monopoly on something.
  2. 2
    To dominate or to get total control of something by excluding everyone else.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how monopolize appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Teachers try not to let any one student monopolize a class discussion.
  2. "Now, Mr. Malone, I have given you rather more of my time than I had intended. The individual must not monopolize what is meant for the world."

Etymology

From monopoly + -ize.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "monopolize"?
"monopolize" is spelled M-O-N-O-P-O-L-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /məˈnɒpəlʌɪz/.
What does "monopolize" mean?
As a verb, "monopolize" means: To have a monopoly on something.
How do you pronounce "monopolize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "monopolize" is /məˈnɒpəlʌɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "monopolize"?
From monopoly + -ize. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "monopolize", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list