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
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
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
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
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Inflation could feature heavily in midterm elections next year, as the Republican Party looks to defend narrow majorities in the House and Senate.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
27 Sep. 2025
-
The meandering layout of Milan predates cars, so expect to get your steps in on the narrow and winding roads.—
Abbey Hudetz,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Aquila served as a parochial vicar in two parishes from 1976 to 1982 and then as pastor at Denver’s Guardian Angels Parish from 1982 to 1987.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
19 Sep. 2025
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Or if that is not parochial enough, there are some decent Carabao Cup ties on Tuesday, with Manchester United’s conquerors Grimsby Town going to Sheffield Wednesday and Crystal Palace hosting Millwall, a replay of last season’s bruising FA Cup clash.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
We’ve all been cast adrift in the cognitive dissonance between the visceral seriousness of the crime and the abject flippancy of the shooter, the brutality of the shooting and the memes reacting to Kirk’s bigoted views.—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
18 Sep. 2025
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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
Adjective
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Out-of-state travel that year, though, saw a small decrease compared to 2023.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
30 Sep. 2025
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Ohio State University, which enrolls the most international students in Ohio, reported a 37% drop in first-year international students and a slightly smaller number of total international students this year.—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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How has Fawlty Towers, one of the most offbeat, provincial, inappropriate, and heavily excoriated shows of all time, remained popular for 50 years?—
Jonathan Margolis,
Air Mail,
20 Sep. 2025
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For others from more distant regions, including Denizli and other provincial hubs, the focus was on expanding business.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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And unfortunately for everyone who would like to see Belichick inducted in-person, the 73-year-old coach is currently at the height of his petty powers.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
19 Sep. 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.—
Mars King,
Twin Cities,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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And as increasingly militant voices in our culture have joined the ranks, the environment has become even more intolerant.—
Amy Stephens,
Denver Post,
22 Sep. 2025
-
In Kimmel’s silencing, some in the MAGAverse see another win against an intolerant Left.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Despite his gift, Kikuo must resort to questionable tactics to maintain his standing in the insular community.—
Ryan Swen,
Variety,
23 Sep. 2025
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In contrast with the preceding formations, which had been as diverse as the United States itself, nearly all the Green Berets were tall, square-jawed, and white, a reflection of the Special Forces’ insular, misogynistic culture and homogenous racial composition.—
Seth Harp,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Narrow-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narrow-minded. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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