in business, to control something completely and to prevent other people having any effect on what happens

The company had monopolized the photography market for so many decades that they didn't worry about competition from other companies. 这家公司垄断摄影市场几十年，他们不担心来自其他公司的竞争。

If someone monopolizes a person or a conversation, they talk a lot or stop other people being involved.

She completely monopolized the conversation at lunch. 午餐时她滔滔不绝，别人根本无法插嘴。