What does soliloquize mean?
Soliloquize means to speak to oneself, especially aloud, and is particularly associated with dramatic literature and performance. A character who soliloquizes reveals private thoughts, doubts, motives, or emotions to the audience, while remaining technically alone on stage. The word can also describe ordinary behavior, such as someone talking through a problem to themself, though its tone is generally more literary and deliberate than that of simple conversation. It differs from a monologue in emphasis and setting: a soliloquy is specifically speech addressed to oneself, whereas a monologue may be a formal extended speech to an audience or group. Soliloquize is useful in discussions of theatre, rhetoric, characterization, and dramatic irony because it identifies the distinctive act of making inner thought audible. Its Latin ancestry also connects it with the broader family of words about solitude and speech.
verbTo speak to oneself, especially aloud; to utter a soliloquy. It is especially associated with dramatic characters expressing private thoughts.
- To speak to oneself, especially aloud or in a dramatic monologue.
"In the final act, the queen soliloquizes about the consequences of her decision."
"He paced around the room, soliloquizing about the strange events of the evening."
"The actress continued to soliloquize as the lights faded around her."
From Latin for “talking to oneself,” soliloquize is the verb behind the theatrical moment when a character reveals their private thoughts to the audience.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does soliloquize come from?
Soliloquize derives from the Latin soliloquium, meaning “talking to oneself,” formed from solus, “alone,” and loqui, “to speak.” The English word belongs to the literary vocabulary of drama and reflection and developed alongside the established noun soliloquy. Related English words include soliloquist, while solitary and solo share the same Latin root for “alone.”
Related word forms
How soliloquize is actually used
This is a formal and literary word, especially common in descriptions of drama and performance. It often conveys a self-conscious or theatrical quality and may suggest that the speaker's words are intended for an audience even when they are directed inward.
Easily confused with soliloquize
A soliloquy is the speech or passage in which a character or person speaks their private thoughts aloud, whereas soliloquize is the verb for performing that act.