as in small
not broad or open in views or opinions
the parochial pastimes of the people in that rural farm town
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Recent Examples of parochial
Could the trajectory of a presidency and a major political party, and perhaps modern American history itself, really trace back to a parochial dispute at a Palm Beach club at the start of this century?
—
Tara Palmeri, Vanity Fair, 12 Feb. 2026
The maximalism and somewhat uncompromising presumption of a newspaper, with its warren of sections and columns and byways, is a quiet reproach to its audience’s most parochial instincts.
—Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
This aligns with findings from empathy research, which distinguishes between parochial empathy (caring for one’s in-group) and universal empathy (concern for all people).
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Working-class voters visiting a Reform clubhouse were more likely to find young professionals discussing weighty matters of foreign policy rather than parochial issues like street paving.
—Daniel Wortel-London, Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for parochial
Tara Palmeri, Vanity Fair, 12 Feb. 2026
The maximalism and somewhat uncompromising presumption of a newspaper, with its warren of sections and columns and byways, is a quiet reproach to its audience’s most parochial instincts.
—Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
This aligns with findings from empathy research, which distinguishes between parochial empathy (caring for one’s in-group) and universal empathy (concern for all people).
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Working-class voters visiting a Reform clubhouse were more likely to find young professionals discussing weighty matters of foreign policy rather than parochial issues like street paving.
—Daniel Wortel-London, Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for parochial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parochial
Adjective
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Modern warfare has shown that traditional radar systems often struggle to identify and monitor many small drones flying together.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Adjust a subscription or renegotiate a small fee, then record the change, because tracking progress reinforces confidence and protects your careful planning.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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Travelers can also take additional steps by staying vigilant for petty crime, and moving throughout the city with extra awareness.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Uncompensated seizure under the land-expropriation law can only be pursued under narrow circumstances—when land is unused or has been abandoned, for example—and the program seemingly has yet to seize any property.—
Boyce Upholt,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
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While competitors use narrower aspect ratios, Apple is expected to adopt a wider ratio for the inner display.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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And yet what’s readily apparent is that this weird, fragile, insular family is genuinely keen on folding Tommy into their lives.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Counter to the notion that a focus on caste and community is insular and, therefore, detrimental to business, Jayaraman embraces his heritage with a certain chutzpah and a largesse that makes customers return with their friends and family.—
Kalpana Mohan,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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An Ontario couple’s pandemic-era home renovation turned into a financial nightmare after ancestral Indigenous remains were discovered on their property, triggering a provincial law that forces homeowners to fund costly archaeological investigations with little hope of relief.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
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What the Law Says About Ancient Remains The discovery triggered a process governed by a 2002 provincial law — the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act (FBCSA) — which requires a Burial Site Investigation when remains are found.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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At the height of the sectarian war, parts of Baghdad were so riddled with impromptu militia checkpoints that many Iraqis started carrying two official-looking IDs — one genuine and the other a forgery with a last name and birthplace associated with the other sect.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Also, many officials expressed broad concern about the Kurdish fighters expected to enter Iran, saying that injecting sectarian conflict into the already combustible situation will be detrimental and also cause friction with Turkey, which fears Kurdish separatists.—
Margaret Brennan,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Boston bats made little noise all night in North Port.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
15 Mar. 2026
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But even this caricature is more than what’s afforded to Zoe (Iris Apatow) and her Deaf sister Chloe (Millicent Simmonds), whose collective function is the former interpreting for the latter in American Sign Language, but little else.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Parochial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parochial. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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