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
Relevance
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
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 provincial
Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
This year the rebels have made significant gains, including seizing the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu.
—Kate Bartlett, NPR, 3 Apr. 2025
Robert Zaretsky, Foreign Affairs, 30 Mar. 2021
Until recently, attendees at such a talk would have seen themselves as mere provincials gathering to hear a report from the great halls of power in London and Washington.
—Jonathan Kay, Foreign Affairs, 15 Aug. 2017
See All Example Sentences for provincial
Adjective
There will be the usual provincial arguments about which league was actually the strongest.
—Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
This year the rebels have made significant gains, including seizing the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu.
—Kate Bartlett, NPR, 3 Apr. 2025
Noun
The gilets jaunes protests, a largely peri-urban phenomenon, inverted the roles played by Parisians and provincials in 1871.
—Robert Zaretsky, Foreign Affairs, 30 Mar. 2021
Until recently, attendees at such a talk would have seen themselves as mere provincials gathering to hear a report from the great halls of power in London and Washington.
—Jonathan Kay, Foreign Affairs, 15 Aug. 2017
See All Example Sentences for provincial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provincial
Adjective
-
The plum political prize, of course, will be deciding how congressional districts are drawn, perhaps giving this parochial court a major say in which party—and its preferred Speaker—gets to run the U.S. House.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
31 Mar. 2025
-
There is nothing more parochial or bland than being a soft, white Anglican kid from Ottawa.—
Graydon Carter,
The Atlantic,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Along with suffering mothers and children, Kollwitz’ prints are defined by her depictions of struggling peasants–farmers and laborers.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Many of the specifics of Mao’s thought were geared toward China’s own realities of peasant revolution and the search for a post-Qing political settlement.—
RANA MITTER,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
In 2022, a consortium of private retirement-plan providers announced a collaboration to boost the portability of small retirement accounts.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
-
The sheriff’s office handles homicide investigations for several smaller municipalities within the county.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Sorrentino may also be exorcising some conflicting feelings about his birthplace, which is portrayed as a vulgar, crude place populated by crooks and hicks and photographed like its paradise.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
7 Feb. 2025
-
In first grade, when a teacher called him a hick, Ciotti threw an inkwell at her.—
D. T. Max,
The New Yorker,
23 Sep. 2024
Adjective
-
Days later, the California native hopped on X and taunted the Honestly Nevermind producer with a series of petty insults.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
22 Apr. 2025
-
The real worry, though, is their kids one day finding everything online—a fear more relatable than petty.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Classical Rudersdal, Denmark, situated beside Copenhagen and along the open coast, exists in a perpetual tug-of-war between the rustic and the modern.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Off-mountain: Skiers who prefer to stay overnight in nearby Driggs, Idaho (a 20-minute drive from Grand Targhee) have a few rustic, albeit comfortable, possibilities.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
On Saturday, the narrow field caused both teams to adapt to tighter spaces and quicker play.—
Felipe Cardenas,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
-
In February, Trump had a narrow net approval rating of plus 0.6 points.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Florida yokels versus the elite Hollywood movie-star kind of group.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
26 July 2024
-
Ben’s refusal to stand down for a middle-aged white man seeking to wrest power from him was radical, as was the film’s ending, in which the hero was shot by yokels failing to distinguish him from the zombies previously described as animals.—
Richard Newby,
The Hollywood Reporter,
23 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Provincial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provincial. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share