narrow-mindedness

noun

as in bigotry
stubborn or intolerant adherence to one's opinions or prejudices the narrow-mindedness of some people prevents them from seeing that not all changes are for the worse

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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-mindedness That narrow-mindedness is immediately apparent when Nick asks his congregation to help the group of unhoused people, a little over a dozen souls or so, who live in a makeshift camp on the edge of town. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026 Mann loves a man with an obsession, but this sentiment is about expanding that narrow-mindedness to make space in our lives for others. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for narrow-mindedness
  1. bigotry
  2. intolerance
  3. dogmatism
  4. prejudice
  5. small-mindedness
  6. bias
  7. illiberalism
  8. partisanship
Noun
  • In fact, at no point in his broader career has the 31-year-old, who is known for his racist slurs and unabashed bigotry, achieved anything of note.
    — Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
  • In our conversation, Nunez pointed to brand campaigns that seem so tone-deaf that they border bigotry.
    — Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of bigotry
Noun
  • Some scientists speculate that acetaldehyde might trigger a release of the immune-signalling chemical histamine, leading to alcohol-intolerance symptoms.
    — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In recent years, white supremacists have embraced the concept of lactose intolerance as a distinguishing debility of nonwhite people.
    — Hilary Smith, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of intolerance
Noun
  • When authenticity becomes uncompromising, candor turns belligerent, consistency becomes rigid, or principled decision-making morphs into dogmatism, even the best intentions can backfire.
    — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
  • By staying so close to black metal’s core sound, Marchenko does more to undermine the dogmatism—both racial and aesthetic—of Vikernes and his ilk than a more obviously experimental project might.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of dogmatism
Noun
  • Asking about being alone with a Haitian, for instance, prompted a quick lecture on resisting the forces of prejudice.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 20 Aug. 2026
  • An entire section dedicated to American prejudice included anti-Japanese signage and a Ku Klux Klan hood.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of prejudice
Noun
  • The show gestures at the classic targets of old-timey sexism, small-mindedness, and nativism—much of it embodied by Gasteyer’s scheming character—but only in the safest possible ways.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2026
Definition of small-mindedness
Noun
  • Admitting his bias, Simmons, who watched another Trojan, Makai Lemon, get selected in the first round, believed Lane was talented enough to go as early as the late first round.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • For healthcare providers, this is a lesson on potential sources of bias, Tang said.
    — Elise Haulund, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of bias
Noun
  • Resorting to violence merely strengthens the forces of illiberalism and sense of disorder upon which Trumpism feeds.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The signal predicament of our era is the global rise of illiberalism and intolerance.
    — Christopher Beha, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of illiberalism
Noun
  • To prevail, Benitez-Thompson would have to defy political gravity, which is to say overcome the reflexive partisanship that has typified politics in this age of deep voter polarization.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Policymakers in Washington should look to Florida for a lesson in putting partisanship aside to protect people and lower costs.
    — Jaclyn de Medicci Bruneau, Sun Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of partisanship

Browse Nearby Words

narrow-minded
narrow-mindedness
narrowness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Narrow-mindedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narrow-mindedness. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All