small-minded

adjective

small-mind·​ed ˈsmȯl-ˈmīn-dəd How to pronounce small-minded (audio)
Synonyms of small-mindednext
1
: having narrow interests, sympathies, or outlook
2
: typical of a small-minded person : marked by pettiness, narrowness, or meanness
small-minded conduct
small-mindedly adverb
small-mindedness noun

Examples of small-minded in a Sentence

a small-minded man only concerned with his own well-being resented the small-minded people who automatically opposed every new idea
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
All those small-hearted, small-minded people, there’s a hell for you. Marlow Stern, Variety, 25 May 2026 All those small-hearted, small-minded people, there's a hell for you. Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 25 May 2026 Stedman offers a heartfelt homage to the virtues of rural community and the natural beauty unique to Western Australia, as well as a critique of the strictures and dangers inherent in small-minded communities. The Know, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026 In Mohit’s telling, Laxman seems merely grubby and small-minded. Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026 Any negative pushback in this moment will be interpreted as a small-minded and eminently self-serving response that puts parochial party interests above the interests of the country. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2026 These are not small-minded accomplishments. Michael Stepner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026 The momentum behind these ventures — the idea, unpalatable to many of us small-minded, provincial types, of taking domestic league matches abroad — remains strong. Oliver Kay, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025 But small-minded individuals, who happened to be blocking our path at any point in time, my goal was to get around them. Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of small-minded was in 1811

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Small-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/small-minded. Accessed 28 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

small-minded

adjective
small-mind·​ed
ˈsmȯl-ˈmīn-dəd
1
: having narrow interests, sympathies, or outlook
2
: typical of a small-minded person : petty
small-mindedness noun
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