as in parochial
not broad or open in views or opinions
an insular community that is not receptive of new ideas, especially from outsiders
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of insular
When that did not occur, the group became more insular and disjointed, and the core group eventually relocated to Texas as followers dwindled sharply.
—
Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Mar. 2026
And yet what’s readily apparent is that this weird, fragile, insular family is genuinely keen on folding Tommy into their lives.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Counter to the notion that a focus on caste and community is insular and, therefore, detrimental to business, Jayaraman embraces his heritage with a certain chutzpah and a largesse that makes customers return with their friends and family.
—Kalpana Mohan, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
Hungary had music, and the sounds of Las Vegas shifted to be more insular to Sonny’s thoughts.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insular
Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Mar. 2026
And yet what’s readily apparent is that this weird, fragile, insular family is genuinely keen on folding Tommy into their lives.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Counter to the notion that a focus on caste and community is insular and, therefore, detrimental to business, Jayaraman embraces his heritage with a certain chutzpah and a largesse that makes customers return with their friends and family.
—Kalpana Mohan, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
Hungary had music, and the sounds of Las Vegas shifted to be more insular to Sonny’s thoughts.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insular
Adjective
-
But quietly, the third-year forward had put himself in position for a more parochial reserve reward, one that caught him unaware.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The school, a private parochial campus overseen by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines, had 390 students in kindergarten through eighth grade in 2025, according to its website.—
Nick El Hajj,
Des Moines Register,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The cab’s dark interior seems to lure Rauschenberg in, but perhaps he was also drawn to the small round window, like a porthole, above the seat, which looks out at the distance behind the carriage.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Consider reshuffling your to-do list, because a small shift could save money and protect your energy.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Examples of petty beatings also abound, like footage from December showing two guys in Leeds, UK tossing a delivery robot into a bush, or video of one bot cracked open and left for dead on a Los Angeles sidewalk.—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
2 Apr. 2026
-
His distracted state gave him practically no leverage to overcome Senate President Bill Ferguson’s blockade against his petty redistricting effort.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
One stretch of narrow country road leading north out of the town of Clones in the Republic, for example, goes through Northern Ireland for some yards before reverting to the Republic.—
Colm Tóibín,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
-
That's because the radio waves are emanating over a wider range of directions rather than just in a narrow cone from the poles.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insular. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
