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

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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. sectarianism
  6. small-mindedness
  7. bias
  8. illiberalism
Noun
  • For example, O’Donnell has staunchly defended Israel and condemned bigotry.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The nod to purity emphasized the paint brand’s relationship to cleanliness and virtue, and possibly other notions of bigotry.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of bigotry
Noun
  • In a study published in 2019, Kendall and his colleagues showed that the more a child’s uncertainty intolerance was reduced by treatment, the more their anxiety fell and their ability to function improved.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Histamine intolerance is when histamine from food overwhelms the body’s ability to break it down, Hwang explained.
    — Lauren Finney Harden, AJC.com, 20 Oct. 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
  • The new Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity will teach the next generation how to continue to fight back against antisemitism and all forms of prejudice and bigotry.
    — Linda Chapin, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Gleason dismissed the case without prejudice, denied permission to amend again, and rejected the discovery request as moot.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of prejudice
Noun
  • The pullout, however, leaves a new Iraqi government with the daunting task of loosening Iran’s grip on its neighbor, which has long been trapped in a cycle of sectarianism, foreign meddling and civil conflict.
    — Sarah Tamimi, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of sectarianism
Noun
  • Kingsolver makes this a more complicated notion by gradually revealing Livia’s secrets as well as her mother’s, and the two characters’ interactions exist in a realm beyond a simple critique driven by rural sexism or small-mindedness.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • 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
  • The defense trial accounts of bias were connected to Weeks’ rulings, which were within his discretion and not a basis for recusal, prosecutors argued.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Encourage Small Bets Without Fear Of Failure Set the intention and back it with a bias toward action.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 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

Browse Nearby Words

narrow-minded
narrow-mindedness
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Cite this Entry

“Narrow-mindedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narrow-mindedness. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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