narrow 1 of 3

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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

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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

narrow

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noun

narrow

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verb

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
Adjective
The legislation directs states to cover a portion of SNAP benefit costs, narrows eligibility requirements for the program, and aims to prevent the federal government from being able to increase monthly benefits in the future. Julia Manchester, The Hill, 15 May 2025 But here, in the narrows of the canyon, where Temescal Creek tickled the roots of sycamores and cooled the air beneath the heavy branches of valley oaks, Young lighted up with the enthusiasm of an amateur botanist. Greg Goldin, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
Noun
The city has a plan to narrow the road on most of Northgate between Del Paso Boulevard and I-80 to one lane in each direction. Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 27 June 2025 The Justice Department did not seek a fast-track ruling on the legality of Trump’s order, focusing instead on narrowing the injunctions. Nik Popli, Time, 27 June 2025
Verb
Romero gave chase down a narrow alley where Biddle said Sartor turned and fired, striking Romero in the right arm. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 June 2025 Furthermore, the definition of disabled is often too narrow: more than one third of non-working adults classified as able-bodied by SNAP report having a disability that impedes their ability to work. Emily Eisner, New York Daily News, 29 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for narrow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for narrow
Adjective
  • Johansson’s sleeveless look featured thin straps and a sweetheart neckline with a formfitting silhouette and long, floor-length skirt.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 30 June 2025
  • When done correctly, gen AI allows agents to focus on complex, high-value conversations, while also training and guiding AI to reflect the company’s voice, tone and brand values, instead of being stretched thin across repetitive tasks.
    Priya Vijayarajendran, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • The veteran would be a small upgrade in the outfield for the Padres.
    Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
  • Deerhoof is a small mom and pop operation, and know when enough is enough.
    Walden Green, Pitchfork, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • China is on a separate timeline for negotiating with the U.S., with its 90-day pause beginning May 14, though the two countries have already reached a limited deal.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 1 July 2025
  • But due to limited funding and disparate systems, data collection and analysis remain a challenge for most states.
    Jean Eddy, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • The championship is Oklahoma City’s first since relocating from Seattle in 2008; for the Pacers, close wasn’t good enough for their second straight season with a strong playoff run before falling to the eventual NBA champs.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 28 June 2025
  • Some of my friends sent them a gift, knowing why they were not invited but three of my close friends didn’t send anything (even a card would have been thoughtful).
    R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2025
Adjective
  • In his quest for a definitive biography of Joyce as a cosmopolitan artist, above the parochial fray, Ellmann downplayed Joyce’s interest in politics.
    Eric Bulson, The Atlantic, 16 June 2025
  • Rather, Colbert won after knocking, by his count, on 20,000 doors, wearing out several pairs of size 15 shoes and putting parochial concerns, such as wildfire prevention, disaster preparedness and flood control, at the center of his campaign.
    Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • The bay historically was not visited by this cetacean species.
    Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
  • Here, those louvers help extract heat from the engine bay.
    Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • The Trump Card would also arrive as many countries once favored by the wealthy — including Spain, Portugal and Italy — are tightening their investment-visa programs amid populist opposition and political backlash.
    Robert Frank, CNBC, 26 June 2025
  • Last year, the Department of the Interior tightened their requirements for investigating safety reports.
    Laken Brooks, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • Nolan Traoré, France An intriguing but very slender point guard, the 6-3 teenager should be a first-rounder.
    Tim Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
  • Lively became mostly famous for, well, being Blake Lively: tall, slender, beautiful, and suspiciously perfect — a patron saint for the Instagram age.
    David Mack, Rolling Stone, 10 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Narrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narrow. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

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