monopolymo·nop·o·ly /məˈnɒpəliməˈnɑː-/ noun (plural monopolies)1[countableC, uncountableU]ECONOMICS a situation where a business activity is controlled by only one company or by the government, and other companies do not compete with itThe national airline is no longer a monopoly. At least 10 new airlines now compete against it.
monopoly onFor years, it enjoyed a monopoly on oil exploration and production in Argentina.
The company has been granted a monopoly over Italian high-speed train lines.
There remains the threat of monopoly.
→ commercial monopoly → legal monopoly → natural monopoly → state monopoly2have/hold a monopoly on something if one person, group, or organization has a monopoly on something, they have something that others do not haveThis bank does not have a monopoly on bad loans.