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
  • 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
  • Then, over the following years, came sustainability and strict reuse and ascetic renunciation, and today, finally, its photo series and articles advocated for a mild, slightly quirky anticapitalist metaphysics.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 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
  • 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
  • The pieces look back to Minimalism, whose austere surfaces and heavy industrial materials menace viewers with the possibility of death and doom.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of austere
Adjective
  • The Fed's protective umbrella helps the dollar's appeal among global investors, who can't be fully confident that funds invested into authoritarian China can be safely taken out of the country.
    — Matt Peterson, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Soon after the photo was taken, pro-Chinese Communist Party activists there began assaulting protesters of Xi's authoritarian regime — though there is no evidence Zhang was involved in any attacks.
    — Adam Yamaguchi, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of authoritarian
Adjective
  • Pan, a pediatrician, made national headlines while in the Legislature for leading California’s efforts to enact strict school vaccine laws.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The new details raised questions about how thoroughly FlyDubai vets potential employees, and how the co-pilot's presence on a flight filled with Israeli passengers got past Israel's strict security protocols.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of strict
Adjective
  • As the Pacific Princess’ Captain Stubing, Gavin MacLeod played the stern yet beloved authority figure better than many might’ve expected, given how closely he’d become associated with comedy by that point.
    — Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The new trailer for Paper Tiger transfers this dynamic onto the scene of a rehabilitation project for New York City’s Gowanus Canal, resulting in far graver consequences than a stern talking-to from mom.
    — Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 22 Sep. 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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