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
Unlike Chakrabarti, Wiener has also been a part of San Francisco’s insular community for decades, and has his own base of support — though he is considered a moderate to Chakrabarti’s progressiveness.
—
Anita Chabria, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025
Daniels insisted the impact of the shutdown on air traffic controllers was not just insular and would continue to impact the aviation sector and broader American economy.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025
The recurrent staging only makes the show’s narrative feel more insular, which works fine when there’s forward momentum, but this one is stuck looking backward.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2025
That has led some analysts to warn that increasingly insular investments could mask weaknesses within the giants driving the AI boom.
—Christina Wilkie, NBC news, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insular
Anita Chabria, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025
Daniels insisted the impact of the shutdown on air traffic controllers was not just insular and would continue to impact the aviation sector and broader American economy.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025
The recurrent staging only makes the show’s narrative feel more insular, which works fine when there’s forward momentum, but this one is stuck looking backward.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2025
That has led some analysts to warn that increasingly insular investments could mask weaknesses within the giants driving the AI boom.
—Christina Wilkie, NBC news, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insular
Adjective
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The move likely seeks to rein in parochial infighting between military branches, which compete for congressional funding every year despite Hegseth and the White House officially controlling the process.—
Davis Winkie,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
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The disagreement is colored by Maine’s parochial politics.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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At a time when the Mavericks need as much good will, or PR, as possible, filing a lawsuit against the Dallas Stars is petty, small and mean.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Nov. 2025
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The Senate vote to temporarily reopen the government sparked intense controversy within the Democratic Party, as a small group of its senators joined Republicans in backing a deal that did not guarantee the extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, a key Democratic priority.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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At a time when the Mavericks need as much good will, or PR, as possible, filing a lawsuit against the Dallas Stars is petty, small and mean.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Nov. 2025
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Her motives apparently range from a desire to save the country to unabashed, petty vindictiveness; the two often overlap.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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During this time frame, a narrow, intense lake-effect snow band, only about 10 miles wide, will be capable of thunder, wind gusts near 35 mph and near-zero visibility at its peak.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
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The climb is infamous for its heart-pumping switchbacks and vertiginous jaunt along a narrow sliver of crag.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insular. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.
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