1
as in thin
being of less than usual width
found a narrow opening in the fence that he was able to squeeze through
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
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
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
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
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
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These thin stainless steel cake testers are not only cheap to replace but also widely available.—
Jennifer Zyman,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Apr. 2026
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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
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Its gibbous disk appears small and featureless.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
2 May 2026
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Trump has signed executive orders to reduce housing regulatory burdens and help smaller banks provide mortgages.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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Wulf struck out eight without a walk and limited Sycamore (16-4) to one hit in her three innings.—
Rick Armstrong,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
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Race, bad bosses and the fly-on-the-wall fun of watching office politics and micro-aggressions play out makes this workplace suspense novel a total page-turner (as well as a binge-worthy limited television series).—
Laura Zigman,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Steroids and antibiotics couldn't keep the illness at bay.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
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The free event that will focus on coastal issues for San Diego’s beach and bay communities is being hosted by the Pacific Beach Town Council, Mission Beach Town Council and the Ocean Beach Community Foundation.—
Elizabeth Marie Himchak,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Only this time, instead of tightening a shoe around your foot, the famous pump mechanism winds a mechanical watch.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
2 May 2026
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The tightening rules in the domestic market will likely add to the woes of DJI, which is already facing regulatory headwinds overseas.—
Todd Symons,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
Adjective
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For a speedy dinner chock-full of slender haricot verts, make this Gochujang Chicken Stir-Fry.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Apr. 2026
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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.
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