monopoly

5 definitions • 11 examples

(an organization or group that has) complete control of something, especially an area of business, so that others have no share:

The government is determined to protect its tobacco monopoly.

Is Microsoft a monopoly?

The drafting of a new constitution cannot be a monopoly of the white minority regime (= other people should do it too).

He does not have a/the monopoly on (= he is not the only one who has) good looks.

complete control of the supply of particular goods or services, or a company or group that has such control:

The Postal Service is guaranteed a monopoly on all first-class letters.

fig. California has no monopoly on strangeness (= is not the only strange place).

a situation in which one company or person or a government has no competition in the sale of a particular product or service and is able to control its supply and price:

business/corporate/government monopolies He argues that farm subsidies help keep agricultural land away from corporate monopolies.

a monopoly of sth Each firm has a monopoly of goods that tend to be used together.

a monopoly in/on sth A decision by the Supreme Court struck down the state's monopoly on radio and television stations.

a company, person, etc. that is the only one supplying a particular product or service:

The Justice Department is suing the company because they claim that it used unfair tactics to become a monopoly.

something that is controlled by one person or group and not shared by others:

The network is a monopoly of the state telephone company.