as in parochial
not broad or open in views or opinions
an insular community that is not receptive of new ideas, especially from outsiders
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insular
The Vanity Fair article was published shortly after, further ostracizing Adams from her former friends and causing the remaining Eternal Values members to become even more insular.
—
Ct Jones,
Rolling Stone,
1 June 2026
Through candid interviews with his coaches, doctors, family members and the two great rivals who helped define his career, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, the documentary puts its audience at the center of the insular inner circle of one of the most famous athletes on the planet.
—
Ava Wallace,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Seven in ten people worldwide now have what Edelman researchers describe as an insular trust mindset.
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Jonathan Jordan,
Fortune,
27 May 2026
Malek, with an insular and crestfallen moodiness, plays Jimmy as a man caught between liberation and AIDS, between wanting to be a breakout performer and waiting to stay true to his subversive drag soul.
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for insular
Ct Jones,
Rolling Stone,
1 June 2026
Through candid interviews with his coaches, doctors, family members and the two great rivals who helped define his career, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, the documentary puts its audience at the center of the insular inner circle of one of the most famous athletes on the planet.
—
Ava Wallace,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Seven in ten people worldwide now have what Edelman researchers describe as an insular trust mindset.
—
Jonathan Jordan,
Fortune,
27 May 2026
Malek, with an insular and crestfallen moodiness, plays Jimmy as a man caught between liberation and AIDS, between wanting to be a breakout performer and waiting to stay true to his subversive drag soul.
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for insular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insular
Adjective
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In the most parochial place that ever was or ever will be, authenticity functions as a means of psychic gatekeeping, and someone who doesn’t speak the lingua Francona isn’t someone who’s worth listening to when the game’s on.
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Of course, the ever-parochial instincts of Chicago, where neighborhood loyalties rule and aldermen are fiercely protective of their ward domains, means the decision on the location of any future Leo landmark could be contentious.
Adjective
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Name the worry out loud, then choose a small boundary that protects your energy, such as turning off notifications during a demanding task.
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People milled about clutching small rainbow flags from the human rights organization Outright International.
Adjective
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Some were petty — like Reese committing a foul against Clark, then jerking her head back, impersonating Clark as a flopper.
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As long as there have been people, there have been petty complaints about people.
Adjective
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The narrow 3-2 decision was made at a meeting early Friday morning, the third and final such vote on a data center moratorium.
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Group 1 is pulmonary arterial hypertension, a rare and severe version that occurs when blood vessels in the lungs narrow and stiffen.
Cite this Entry
“Insular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insular. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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