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
The deficient vice of being open-minded is being narrow-minded.
—
Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Knowledge-wise, science may be advancing, but, politically, its powers of persuasion are in retreat, in a moment defined, in many ways, by ignorance and narrow-minded grievance.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2025
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
Of the trio, Bernadette was written as the strictest rule-follower — possibly even the most narrow-minded.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
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
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
Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Knowledge-wise, science may be advancing, but, politically, its powers of persuasion are in retreat, in a moment defined, in many ways, by ignorance and narrow-minded grievance.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2025
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
Of the trio, Bernadette was written as the strictest rule-follower — possibly even the most narrow-minded.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for narrow-minded
Adjective
-
They’re also made with arch support and a toe box that’s not too narrow or crammed, per the brand, plus the rubber sole offers a nice cushioned platform with each step.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
-
With Republicans holding only a narrow majority, the outcomes could shape the balance of power heading into 2026.—
Grace Sandman,
ABC News,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Now, fashion is very parochial and very predictable.—
James Fallon,
Footwear News,
10 Sep. 2025
-
This week, in parochial and Christian schools across Chicago and the suburbs, schoolchildren filed into pews with their classmates to observe church services ahead of the school day.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Antoni, who once ran a Twitter account featuring bigoted attacks and conspiracy theories and who economists across the political spectrum say is unqualified, has suggested suspending the Bureau’s monthly job report altogether.—
Marianne Cooper,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
-
But Target’s response frustrated supporters of gay and transgender rights, who said the company caved to bigoted pressure.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Even if advised by a manufacturer, the marble cleaning solution should still be tested on a small, inconspicuous area before getting started.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Her list continues with small but frustrating oversights.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The trial also resulted in five other convictions of hospital and provincial health officials for concealment and omission-of-duty counts, the Buenos Aires Times and Chequeado reported.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Most of the injured were taken to Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre by air and land, a spokesperson for the provincial health organization Shared Health said in a statement to CNN.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Over the next 1,358 days, there would be just a handful of credible sightings of Phillips, mostly connected with petty crimes in nearby small towns.—
Todd Symons,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Nothing is too petty, too silly, too stupid, or too weird to be included.—
Aytekin Tank,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The military that took over Burkina Faso in a 2022 coup has grown increasingly intolerant of dissent amid worsening Islamist militant violence in the West African country.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The Slow Burn of Modern Taste Low-caf is not just a compromise for caffeine-intolerant souls.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The structure is stale and insular, with glaring blind spots.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
-
When 17 children from one classroom inexplicably run out into the night, a frightened insular community starts pointing fingers at their young schoolteacher (Julia Garner) and the sole survivor, Alex (Cary Christopher).—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Narrow-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narrow-minded. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share