1
as in narrow
unwilling to grant other people social rights or to accept other viewpoints
it took a while for some of the more narrow-minded members of management to be persuaded to modernize the dress code
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in parochial
not broad or open in views or opinions
narrow-minded people who instinctively feared and shunned those from different cultures
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of narrow-minded
Its opposite—illiberal—means stingy, narrow-minded, intolerant, provincial, unenlightened, and using government to insure the flourishing of only the few.
—
Harper’s Magazine, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
That is something that has always struck me as strange and narrow-minded.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 June 2025
The inherent orthodoxy of his premise excluded all other alternatives to narrow-minded rationalism and its ethical constraints.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Of the trio, Bernadette was written as the strictest rule-follower — possibly even the most narrow-minded.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Some people associate a frugal spender with a narrow-minded person who is a tightwad, a cheapskate, a penny-pincher, and worse of all an outright scrooge.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
People are going to take things and run with them and be narrow-minded or whatever or take something out of context.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2024
Instead of articulating a compelling vision that could spark a broad-minded counterpunch to narrow-minded populism, Newsom has taken an oddly defeatist course in his first podcasts.
—Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
Gazing out onto Prince William Sound with its stunning scenery had this narrow-minded city-and-car guy bitten by the cruise bug.
—David Dickstein, Orange County Register, 5 Feb. 2025
Harper’s Magazine, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
That is something that has always struck me as strange and narrow-minded.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 June 2025
The inherent orthodoxy of his premise excluded all other alternatives to narrow-minded rationalism and its ethical constraints.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Of the trio, Bernadette was written as the strictest rule-follower — possibly even the most narrow-minded.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Some people associate a frugal spender with a narrow-minded person who is a tightwad, a cheapskate, a penny-pincher, and worse of all an outright scrooge.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
People are going to take things and run with them and be narrow-minded or whatever or take something out of context.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2024
Instead of articulating a compelling vision that could spark a broad-minded counterpunch to narrow-minded populism, Newsom has taken an oddly defeatist course in his first podcasts.
—Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
Gazing out onto Prince William Sound with its stunning scenery had this narrow-minded city-and-car guy bitten by the cruise bug.
—David Dickstein, Orange County Register, 5 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for narrow-minded
Adjective
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Career growth inside companies still follows a narrow script—progress often defined by vertical movement alone.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
-
In 2024, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Apache Stronghold in a narrow 6-5 decision.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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South suburban committee members, meanwhile, showed parochial loyalty to Kelly.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
19 July 2025
-
In a chamber fraught with parochial interests and personalities in spades, the sprint to finish this by the July 4 holiday is going to be clipped.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
In 2016, Trump, while running for President, was also suing a restaurateur for cutting ties over his bigoted comments about Mexican immigrants.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
11 Aug. 2025
-
Anti-Islamophobia advocates called the bigoted attacks typical of what American Muslims in public life have come to expect.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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On a sunny morning in late June, his exercise regimen began with small steps: His right foot keeping pace with the treadmill, his left foot stationary, off to the side.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
18 Aug. 2025
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Going directly from cooking inside the house and only trying my own food to trying small restaurants and traveling within a week’s span was a blessing.—
Kenneth J. Williams Jr,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The United Church of Rogers Park’s nearly 100-year-old building, with its dark brown wood paneling and vintage casement windows, is an atmospheric stand-in for a provincial Russian household around the turn of the 20th century.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Aug. 2025
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But Fan’s background – provincial, not well off or highly educated – may be contributing to official disquiet over her popularity, adding an extra layer of scrutiny.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
27 July 2025
Adjective
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And the conflict between the law-abiding brother and his petty thief sibling isn’t over a herd of cattle or gold mine but over a screenplay an agent promises will bring them fame and fortune.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Aug. 2025
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Weeks before the closing announcement, blame fell on the store’s lack of shopping carts, the closure of self-checkout lanes and a visible rise in shoplifting and petty crime.—
Gloria Ngwa,
Twin Cities,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Non-dairy milk alternatives, such as oat, soy, almond, rice, and cashew milk, are excellent options for individuals who wish to consume milk but are intolerant to lactose or other ingredients found in milk or lactose-free milk.—
Angelica Bottaro,
Verywell Health,
8 Aug. 2025
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There are those that are freeze intolerant — most tropicals and annuals.—
Paul Cappiello,
The Courier-Journal,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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Tell me about the decision to explore those themes of masculinity and desire in this specific setting, a small and insular fishing town in Wales.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Aug. 2025
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Rich with nuance, passion, and unforgettable characters, Unaccustomed Earth invites you into the elite and insular Indian-American community of Cambridge, MA.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Narrow-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narrow-minded. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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