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
Relevance
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
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-minded
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
The Grammys have always prized a narrow-minded, classic sense of musicianship: deft songwriting, big vocals, live instrumentation.
—Justin Curto, Vulture, 3 Feb. 2025
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
The Grammys have always prized a narrow-minded, classic sense of musicianship: deft songwriting, big vocals, live instrumentation.
—Justin Curto, Vulture, 3 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for narrow-minded
Adjective
-
In more challenging games, however, the side often flatters to deceive and occasionally slips up, as a narrow 2-1 victory over Boca Juniors and 0-1 loss to Benfica showed.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
Nothing dramatizes the human comedy with more precision than the sound of a happily narrow mind retorting to the wider environment.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
Brian Colbert ran on a parochial platform focused on garden-variety local issues.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
-
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
Adjective
-
Only the Ku Klux Klan could enjoy such bigoted and nonsensical statements.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
-
This concern over harmful or bigoted speech is not new.—
Jacob Mchangama,
The Conversation,
12 May 2025
Adjective
-
The veteran would be a small upgrade in the outfield for the Padres.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 July 2025
-
When the team stumbles across a small Titanosaurus herd, the film privileges Henry’s reaction as the paleontologist witnesses an elegant mating ritual for the first time.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
The Inuit community wants to work with scientists to set up a provincial park that would protect the land while allowing researchers to study it.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2025
-
Its funders include private companies and four layers of government (provincial, regional, national, and European).—
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
While Lian was staring in the mirror practicing her hows and lows and preparing for her future, Wenyu was sneaking out of prep class more and more frequently to pull petty pranks with her new boyfriend.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 July 2025
-
Seventy-five years later, some of the Tribune’s criticisms seem petty.—
Ron Grossman,
Chicago Tribune,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
Many of the asylum-seekers are Christians who fled Iran and its intolerant views toward non-Muslim religions.—
Alicia Victoria Lozano,
NBC news,
26 June 2025
-
Plants are intolerant of dry summer soil, making summer a stressful time for planting.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
The film’s insular focus on Sonny and Joshua generates an atmosphere of isolation in the paddock, an us-versus-them mentality that every team and driver is out for themselves.—
Karl Moore,
Forbes.com,
3 July 2025
-
Reductions were also seen in parts of the brainstem; the cerebellum, which is important for motor control and coordination; and other areas like the orbitofrontal and insular regions—both of which are crucial for emotion regulation, decision-making and social behavior.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Narrow-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narrow-minded. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share