as in parochial
not broad or open in views or opinions
there are people on both the left and the right who have staked out unyielding sectarian positions in this debate
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in partisan
one who stubbornly or intolerantly adheres to his or her own opinions and prejudices
charged that the work of Congress has been stymied by sectarians who are indifferent to reason and intolerant of compromise
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sectarian
Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
While al-Sharaa has vowed to build a more unified and representative Syria, his rule has struggled with deep divisions and deadly sectarian clashes across the country.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 23 Jan. 2026
Robert Barnes, Anchorage Daily News, 20 June 2019
Lebanon’s unique sectarian make up and place in the region make its politics about local issues like jobs, infrastructure, and garbage collection as well as about regional rivalries and alliances.
—Ben Hubbard, BostonGlobe.com, 7 May 2018
See All Example Sentences for sectarian
Adjective
Iraq follows a complex sectarian quota system of government, which requires the prime minister to be a Shia Muslim, the speaker of the parliament to be a Sunni Muslim, and the president of the country to be a Kurd.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
While al-Sharaa has vowed to build a more unified and representative Syria, his rule has struggled with deep divisions and deadly sectarian clashes across the country.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 23 Jan. 2026
Noun
Quite the contrary, the image of the cross makes the war memorial sectarian.
—Robert Barnes, Anchorage Daily News, 20 June 2019
Lebanon’s unique sectarian make up and place in the region make its politics about local issues like jobs, infrastructure, and garbage collection as well as about regional rivalries and alliances.
—Ben Hubbard, BostonGlobe.com, 7 May 2018
See All Example Sentences for sectarian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sectarian
Adjective
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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
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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
Noun
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As one Texas insider explained to me, Cornyn is the national candidate who isn’t exactly loved at home, while Paxton draws adoration from partisans at home who may show up to send a message that what’s happening in Washington is not to their tastes.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
10 Feb. 2026
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Political partisans tend to behave in a partisan way—even if that partisanship is disguised as apolitical, Christian living.—
Elaine Godfrey,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Here are some of the pettiest, most unimportant frustrations so far.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
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Forget all this childish behavior and just stop being so petty.—
Marcia Kramer,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Caudle told The Associated Press in a recent interview that his vision is to deploy smaller, newer ships when possible instead of consistently turning to huge aircraft carriers.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
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The small edit stood out for its playful party spirit and the brand was instantly associated to a sense of fun and maximalism unusual in the Scandinavian fashion scene.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Such a narrow margin means only a handful of disgruntled GOP members are needed to deal a defeat to their party leadership.—
Daniel C. Vock,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
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On that day, the moon will completely cover the sun for several minutes along a narrow path of totality that sweeps across Greenland, Iceland, and northern Spain.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sectarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sectarian. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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