Synonyms of narrow

narrow 1 of 3

adjective

ˈner-(ˌ)ō 

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

• thin
• slender
• skinny
• fine
• slim
• tight
• close
• linear
• needlelike
• paper-thin
• elongate
• spare
• condensed
• ultrathin
• compressed
• constricted
• slim-jim
• tightened
• squeezed
• attenuated
• hairline
• lanky
• contracted
• spindly
• reedy
• stringy
• wispy
• attenuate
• willowy
• rangy
• twiggy
• bottleneck
• lank
• stalky
• shoestring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• wide
• broad
• fat
• thick
• stocky
• squat
• stumpy
• massive
• chunky
• thickset
• voluminous
• bulky
• thickish
• widish

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

• small
• parochial
• petty
• little
• insular
• narrow-minded
• provincial
• stubborn
• sectarian
• rigid
• illiberal
• small-minded
• picayune
• limited
• Lilliputian
• partisan
• obstinate
• bigoted
• partial
• wrongheaded
• discriminatory
• biased
• ironbound
• inflexible
• obdurate
• dogmatic
• discriminating
• unyielding
• intolerant
• reactionary
• prejudiced
• opinionated
• hidebound
• jaundiced
• stodgy
• old-fashioned
• one-sided
• unsophisticated
• set
• straitlaced
• stuffy
• opinionative
• brassbound
• hick

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• open
• liberal
• cosmopolitan
• receptive
• tolerant
• objective
• catholic
• impartial
• unbiased
• unprejudiced
• nonpartisan
• broad-minded
• open-minded
• freethinking

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

• limited
• restricted
• finite
• defined
• definite
• specific
• circumscribed
• bounded
• determinate
• measured
• small
• confined
• detailed
• tiny
• qualified
• constricted
• fixed
• moderate
• modified
• modest
• precise
• exact
• puny
• determined
• settled
• minute

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• infinite
• endless
• indefinite
• undefined
• unlimited
• boundless
• limitless
• unbounded
• general
• dimensionless
• immeasurable
• unmeasured
• illimitable
• innumerable
• measureless
• countless
• vague
• unfathomable
• inexhaustible
• bottomless
• large
• incalculable
• unqualified
• nebulous
• indeterminate
• inestimable
• enlarged
• vast
• unreserved
• extensive
• considerable
• broad
• substantial
• expanded
• big
• great
• plentiful
• sizable
• major
• voluminous
• copious
• bulky
• super
• handsome
• whole
• respectable
• goodly
• expansive
• oversize
• hefty
• sweeping
• comprehensive
• ample
• jumbo
• grandiose
• universal
• epic
• inclusive
• global
• bumper
• cosmopolitan
• largish
• escalated
• plenitudinous
• hulking
• overscale
• king-size
• whacking

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

• close
• tight
• crowded
• neck and neck
• hairbreadth
• nip and tuck
• down-to-the-wire

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

• parochial
• provincial
• bigoted
• intolerant
• prejudiced
• narrow-minded
• partial
• partisan
• small-minded
• illiberal
• reactionary
• insular
• hidebound
• blindfolded
• old-fashioned
• biased
• blinkered
• one-sided

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• liberal
• extreme
• tolerant
• radical
• progressive
• unprejudiced
• objective
• broad-minded
• open-minded
• impartial
• unbiased

narrow

2 of 3

noun

as in bay

Related Words

• bay
• inlet
• lagoon
• roads
• cove
• estuary
• fjord
• embayment
• bight
• port
• anchorage
• harbor
• creek
• roadstead
• arm
• loch
• firth
• lough
• canal
• basin
• gulf
• dock
• strait
• sound
• marina
• haven
• mooring
• harborage
• channel
• home port
• moorage
• seaport
• containerport

narrow

3 of 3

verb

as in to tighten

Related Words

• tighten
• impede
• hinder
• hamper
• obstruct
• block
• restrict
• confine
• constrict
• lessen
• limit
• bar
• squeeze
• contract
• hold down
• pinch
• circumscribe
• number
• repress
• suppress
• cap
• modify
• quell
• qualify

Dissimilar Words

• exceed
• broaden
• widen
• expand
• overreach
• overextend

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of narrow

Adjective

Every year, around four million visitors converge on the five tiny fishing villages, placing immense pressure on their narrow streets, hiking trails, and centuries-old buildings. — Jaclyn Degiorgio, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 July 2026

Higher interest rates and narrower operating margins have already slowed corporate home acquisitions from their 2021 peak and institutional sales are increasing this summer after the passage of the new law. — Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 27 July 2026

Noun

Many famed surf spots to the south — like Doheny, San Clemente and San Onofre — also have seen the beach narrow precipitously. — James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026

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

As those programs mature over the next decade, both the size and the composition of this list are likely to shift, and the gap between the biggest fleets and the most capable ones could narrow considerably. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 11 July 2026

In that environment, a phone can narrow the distance between a patient and help. — Fatima Faizi, NPR, 10 July 2026

Phrases Containing narrow

• narrow (down)
• narrow escape