I. ˈmänztrəs, -n(t)st- adjective
Etymology: Middle English monstrows, from Middle French monstrueux, from Latin monstruosus, from monstrum monster + -osus -ous — more at monster
1. obsolete : strange , unnatural
this ingrateful seat of monstrous friends — Shakespeare
2. : having extraordinary often overwhelming size : unusually and often unpleasantly big : huge , gigantic , mammoth
the moon like a monstrous crystal — G.K.Chesterton
a monstrous precipice — Thomas Gray
clad in monstrous coat and huge shoes — C.F.Wittke
the task may well appear monstrous — C.W.Shumaker
he seemed of monstrous bulk and significance — G.D.Brown
3.
a. : having the qualities or appearance of a monster
the subtle, monstrous horror that broke forth last night and went prowling about the old hallways — W.H.Wright
hate, a monstrous sun that dissolves the bones in the body — Edith Sitwell
b. obsolete : teeming with monsters
under the whelming tide visit'st the bottom of the monstrous world — John Milton
4.
a. : extraordinary because of ugliness or viciousness : atrocious , horrible
the monstrous gang who were bringing his country to ruins — Harrison Smith
a monstrous joke, a deception of matchless cruelty — B.R.Redman
b. : shockingly wrong or ridiculous
the legend assumed monstrous proportions — Louis Untermeyer
the search for truth was largely diverted … into a monstrous and deadening discussion — P.E.More
5. : deviating greatly from the natural form or character : abnormal , malformed
a monstrous fetus
a monstrous melon
6. : very great — used as an intensive
the monstrous agnostic — Alistair Cooke
awakened … by a monstrous hammering on his door — G.D.Brown
Synonyms:
prodigious , tremendous , stupendous , monumental : monstrous applies to what is like a monster usually in being abnormally large or often in being deformed or fabulously formed
a procession of some of the most obese and monstrous types of humanity. Almost naked, they wandered around the arena, mountains of flesh glistening in the electric light — Hugh Walpole
monstrous, like a doll that is alive and bigger than the child who tries to hold it — Babette Deutsch
a monstrous kind of a creature who had never had but one leg, and that in the middle of his body — R.L.Stevenson
prodigious describes what is extraordinarily vast or immense often unexpectedly or disproportionately
notice his prodigious strength. His hand actually seemed like a steel vice that could have crushed mine — Bram Stoker
the demand was prodigious. Almost unimaginably huge quantities of cotton were consumed in its manufacture and virtual armies of men were engaged in making it — A.C.Morrison
tremendous may apply to the huge or gigantic that arouses dread or awe
the forces that tie an atom together are tremendous — Waldemar Kaempffert
the younger rock slips from time to time, as some earth movement takes place, and the resultant tremendous jar is felt throughout the region — American Guide Series: Washington
stupendous describes what stuns or amazes, usually because of great size or number, vast complexity, or awesome force
mountain ranges, the most stupendous in the world — Faubion Bowers
a ray of light tells us of a stupendous catastrophe that occurred in the constellation — Waldemar Kaempffert
monumental refers to that which is impressive or massive enough to serve as a monument — often used figuratively
statues are most successful when they are massive, monumental, and have something approaching an architectural context — John Dewey
the monumental character demanded by Americans in their public buildings is achieved by the huge 32-story tower — American Guide Series: New York
Synonym: see in addition outrageous .
II. adverb
chiefly dialect : exceedingly , very
monstrous pretty girl she was too — Archibald Marshall
she thought it monstrous vulgar — Harrietta Wilson