monkish

adjective

Definition of monkishnext
as in ascetic

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of monkish And also there is something a little bit, the word that comes to mind is almost monkish. — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 9 Jan. 2026 Integral, too, to Dayal’s mythology was his monkish existence. — Literary Hub, 29 Oct. 2025 The festival would know that better than most, juxtaposing classical music—and its expectation of monkish silence—with the heart of Chicago’s downtown, and the human mix therein. — Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2025 Obama has retreated into monkish silence, broken only for special occasions such as celebrity deaths and the recording of Bruce Springsteen podcasts. — Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 17 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for monkish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monkish
  1. ascetic
  2. monastic
  3. austere
  4. authoritarian
  5. strict
  6. stern
Adjective
  • But there is a certain ascetic simplicity to this labyrinthine heritage building that remains relatively unadorned.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • And there were posters tearing apart his otherworldly self-projection as a fakir, or ascetic, depicting him in his monogrammed suits, designer sunglasses, and aircraft.
    — Asim Ali, Time, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of ascetic
Adjective
  • From ancient times, various monastic orders have followed a more expansive form of brahmacharya, one that restricts eight types of engagement with the opposite gender.
    — Bhakti Mamtora, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
  • But the units are monastic, at least by the standards of Nashville upperclassmen, who usually live in singles or in apartments off campus.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of monastic
Adjective
  • Fans of the austere contemporary design that forms the back-bone of the Design Hotel concept will love this new fifty room hipster tucked away in a non-descript side street near Frankfurt’s main train station.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
  • But de Havilland, who netted two Oscars for her work in the 1940s classics To Each His Own and The Heiress, was more austere.
    — Rance Collins, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of austere
Adjective
  • El Sistema was founded decades before Hugo Chavez came to power in a populist revolution that quickly turned authoritarian.
    — Max Feliu, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
  • What readers are saying The comments express overwhelming disapproval and outrage over the idea of live-streaming a public execution, likening it to barbaric practices of authoritarian regimes and terrorist groups.
    — Aoife Walsh, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of authoritarian
Adjective
  • Anthropic wants Congress to set strict limits on when federal authorities can stop advanced AI models from reaching users.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • France, unlike the United States, places strict limits on campaign spending, but money still shapes the broader political ecosystem.
    — Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of strict
Adjective
  • Below is Jordan — bearded, stern, and wearing a leather jacket — as Det.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Preliminary information indicates that the explosion occurred near the vessel’s stern deck, resulting in limited damage, a police spokesperson said in a statement.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of stern

Browse Nearby Words

monkhoods
monkish
monks
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Monkish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkish. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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