1
as in thin
being of less than usual width
found a narrow opening in the fence that he was able to squeeze through
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in small
not broad or open in views or opinions
a narrow person who thought that anyone who even owned a television had been morally corrupted by society
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in limited
having distinct or certain limits
a play about human suffering, but in a narrower sense, also about the modern struggles of the working-class poor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in close
showing little difference in the standing of the competitors
a narrow gubernatorial contest, the outcome of which may depend upon a handful of votes
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in parochial
unwilling to grant other people social rights or to accept other viewpoints
tried to convince the narrow members of her family that there are many paths to a successful career that don't involve getting a university degree
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 narrow
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
The rivalry between Orlando and Washington has developed into one of the league’s best, with the Pride holding a narrow 11-10-8 all-time advantage.
—Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026
Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025
Dutch parliamentary election tests ruling far-right party Dutch voters cast ballots today in a parliamentary election in which a far-right party that led opinion polls for months has seen its advantage narrow into a three-horse race.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Oct. 2025
Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
The conditions of Army life are such as to narrow your views.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for narrow
Adjective
But the collector with an extremely narrow specialty seems, well, rare.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
The rivalry between Orlando and Washington has developed into one of the league’s best, with the Pride holding a narrow 11-10-8 all-time advantage.
—Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026
Noun
Chargers win if: The Chargers’ margin for error narrows in Week 10 after their victories the past two weeks.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025
Dutch parliamentary election tests ruling far-right party Dutch voters cast ballots today in a parliamentary election in which a far-right party that led opinion polls for months has seen its advantage narrow into a three-horse race.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
Colorado was still able to eventually cruise to a division title, top seed in the Western Conference and home-ice advantage throughout the postseason, but the Stars did narrow the gap shortly after the Olympic break.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
The conditions of Army life are such as to narrow your views.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for narrow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for narrow
Adjective
-
These thin stainless steel cake testers are not only cheap to replace but also widely available.—
Jennifer Zyman,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Apr. 2026
-
That, along with the March trade that sent Sam Carrick to the Buffalo Sabres, would leave them painfully thin down the middle, with little center help coming up through the system.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Its gibbous disk appears small and featureless.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
2 May 2026
-
Trump has signed executive orders to reduce housing regulatory burdens and help smaller banks provide mortgages.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Beginning July 1, the agency will take on a more limited role focused on coordinating the region’s rehousing system, including managing data, helping coordinate how people access services and leading applications for annual federal funding.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
After seeing limited action through three-plus seasons at Georgia Tech, Knight transferred to Charlotte in 2023 and reinvigorated his career.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Because the Celtics, provided they close-out the 76ers, have the kind of shooters the Hawks don’t.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Qatar could deepen its already close defense ties to Turkey, and China, which is close to Iran, could play a greater diplomatic role.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Research shows the disparity between vaccination coverage in private and parochial/religious versus public schools is that private and parochial/religious schools tend to have higher rates of exemptions to vaccinations for moral and religious beliefs.—
Kar-Hai Chu,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
-
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
Noun
-
The body of her friend, fellow USF doctoral student Zamil Limon, was in another garbage bag found two days before that on a bridge over the bay.—
Mike Schneider,
Sun Sentinel,
1 May 2026
-
The bay colt also won Florida's Fountain of Youth Stakes in February, where Chief Wallabee took second.—
Alex Sundby,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The Palestinian Authority’s power has withered amid years without peace negotiations and Israel tightening its grip on the West Bank.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
There’s also Title Wave Books in Anchorage, which houses one of the most extensive collections of Indigenous American literature in the country, and Nā Mea Hawai'i, whose collection tightens its scope to Hawaiian culture and history.—
Kat Chen,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For a speedy dinner chock-full of slender haricot verts, make this Gochujang Chicken Stir-Fry.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Jackson DeCosta, a tall and slender teenager with a metabolism faster than Lamar Jackson’s 40 time, had no such worries during a long Saturday in the draft room, according to his father.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Narrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narrow. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
