as in parochial
not broad or open in views or opinions
some people regard a fear of new things as an unmistakable sign of a provincial attitude
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in peasant
an awkward or simple person especially from a small town or the country
the confidence man figured that fleecing these provincials would be easy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of provincial
Farida Elsebai, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
Havana’s streets and all provincial cities are full of trash and waste dumps are overflowing due to the fuel crisis to the point that residents have begun to burn them.
—Sarah Moreno
updated February 19, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026
Caitlin McFall, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Not long after his ordination, he was named the Jesuit provincial for Argentina, which put him in charge of the order’s activities throughout the country.
—Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provincial
Adjective
Last year’s conflict with Israel laid bare weaknesses in Iran’s command structures under pressure, with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reportedly becoming increasingly hard to reach and authority devolving to provincial governors.
—Farida Elsebai, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
Havana’s streets and all provincial cities are full of trash and waste dumps are overflowing due to the fuel crisis to the point that residents have begun to burn them.
—Sarah Moreno
updated February 19, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
The same year, he was appointed as a provincial for the order.
—Caitlin McFall, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Not long after his ordination, he was named the Jesuit provincial for Argentina, which put him in charge of the order’s activities throughout the country.
—Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provincial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provincial
Adjective
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Democrats who opposed the bill, however, said the money would mainly go to private or parochial institutions and is part of the Republican caucus's efforts to direct money into private education.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
27 Feb. 2026
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Seniors attending local parochial high schools who live within District 203 or 204 boundaries can also apply, the release said.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Let the peasants squabble amongst themselves about the refs and how unfair life is.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
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Pair them with boots, peasant tops, lightweight sweaters, and more.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Published in the journal Matter, the underlying mechanisms behind the inferior photochemical of polymer acceptor and develops a method to enhance both efficiency and stability through small-molecule incorporation.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Feb. 2026
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February storms brought fresh snow to the Sierra Nevada, but California’s snowpack remains far smaller than average during a winter that has brought record warmth across much of the West.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Which is to say, this isn’t the story of a greedy, materialistic man who suffers a crisis of conscience while trying to pry a priceless treasure away from an uneducated hick who doesn’t know any better.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
29 Oct. 2025
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Ricky develops romantic feelings for Chad even though Russ plays him as a soft-spoken, possibly dim rural hick who may well be a literal man-child.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Instead, Washington stages high-volume skirmishes over symbolic and petty conflicts.—
Jay Caruso,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
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What begins as petty extortion turns into control of the local drug trade, as the girls style themselves as protectors of the poor and enemies of the corrupt.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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It is centred around a striking building topped with turf, a nod to Iceland’s traditional architecture, with aqueduct-like arches and an angular timber roof inside—a little Hobbit-like, a little sci-fi rustic.—
Rick Jordan,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
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Neither modish nor cookie-cutter rustic in aesthetic, the hotel, tucked away off the main street in the village of Malfa, feels like a genuine home, where old framed maps, ceramics, pots, and paintings, along with other antiques, have been collected over the years.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But equal time itself is narrower than many assume.—
Jay Caruso,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
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This lamp has an ultraslim frame, ideal for a narrow bedroom or tight reading nook.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Part of his way of taking it yokel — besides bringing in Foo Fighter Rami Jaffee on accordion and Willie Aron blowing harmonica — was to add a previously unheard yodel to the chorus.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
27 Oct. 2025
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It was adapted into a huge hit movie starring Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray, but the breakout characters were local yokels Ma and Pa Kettle, who went on to star in eight spinoff movies.—
Brian Boone,
Vulture,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provincial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provincial. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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