exclusive control of a commodity or service in a particular market, or a control that makes possible the manipulation of prices.Compare duopoly, oligopoly.
an exclusive privilege to carry on a business, traffic, or service, granted by a government.
the exclusive possession or control of something.
something that is the subject of such control, as a commodity or service.
a company or group that has such control.
the market condition that exists when there is only one seller.
(initial capital letter) a board game in which a player attempts to gain a monopoly of real estate by advancing around the board and purchasing property, acquiring capital by collecting rent from other players whose pieces land on that property.
Origin of monopoly
1525–35; <Latin monopōlium<Greek monopṓlion right of exclusive sale, equivalent to mono-mono- + pōl(eîn) to sell + -ion noun suffix
The Open Markets Institute, a nonprofit group that advocates against corporate monopolies, released a paper Monday criticizing Amazon’s employee surveillance practices.
After public outcry, Amazon deletes listings for 2 intelligence jobs that involved tracking ‘labor organizing threats’|rhhackettfortune|September 1, 2020|Fortune
Microsoft was legally found to be a monopoly 20 years ago, in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, and ordered broken into two companies.
Apple, Amazon, Google and Facebook set to preview antitrust defenses before Congress|Greg Sterling|July 28, 2020|Search Engine Land
That system is currently owned by San Diego Gas and Electric, which enjoyed an energy monopoly in the region until recently.
Environment Report: The Latest Power Struggles for SDG&E and Sempra|MacKenzie Elmer|June 29, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Because SDG&E is an energy monopoly in our city, they can do what they want and have proven to put their profits over our city’s best interests.
Franchise Fee Deal Is a Chance for the City to Make Much-Needed Changes|Pia Piscitelli|June 23, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Another article from 2007 talking about how MySpace had an unbreakable monopoly in terms of social networking.
Can You Hear Me Now? (Ep. 406)|Stephen J. Dubner|February 20, 2020|Freakonomics
Mattson says the government bogarts this stuff, gathered at taxpayer expense, and maintains “a monopoly on the data.”
What It Takes to Kill a Grizzly Bear|Doug Peacock|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Ma wrote online, “Let the users decide who wins the game, not monopoly and power.”
Alibaba’s Dark Side: Censoring Customers|Brendon Hong|November 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
These cases are part of the monopoly moment that we are in right now.
The Supreme Court Is Weighing Corporate Power Yet Again|Zephyr Teachout|October 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For nearly two thousand years, religious groups have held a monopoly on how to teach morals to young children.
Are You There, Nobody? It’s Me, Margaret|Candida Moss|October 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Ken Burns practically has a monopoly on televised public history and especially the history broadcast by PBS.
Ken Burns’s ‘Roosevelts’ Fine But Flawed|Harvey J. Kaye|September 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Fashion has made Jezebel surrender her monopoly of the rouge-pot.
The Works of Max Beerbohm|Max Beerbohm
Powerful as the International is, it is still far from the place where business is one long sweet dream of monopoly.
The Romance of the Reaper|Herbert Newton Casson
Still, you see, our isolated position gives us a monopoly, and we're small enough to take a personal interest in our older hands.
For the Allinson Honor|Harold Bindloss
The detailed conditions of this monopoly were never made public.
Due South or Cuba Past and Present|Maturin M. Ballou
There is the usual continental bother in obtaining post-horses, which results from their being a monopoly of government.
Gatherings From Spain|Richard Ford
British Dictionary definitions for monopoly (1 of 2)
monopoly
/ (məˈnɒpəlɪ) /
nounplural-lies
exclusive control of the market supply of a product or service
an enterprise exercising this control
the product or service so controlled
lawthe exclusive right or privilege granted to a person, company, etc, by the state to purchase, manufacture, use, or sell some commodity or to carry on trade in a specified country or area
exclusive control, possession, or use of something
C16: from Late Latin, from Greek monopōlion, from mono- + pōlein to sell
British Dictionary definitions for monopoly (2 of 2)
Monopoly
/ (məˈnɒpəlɪ) /
noun
trademarka board game for two to six players who throw dice to advance their tokens around a board, the object being to acquire the property on which their tokens land