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
Sarah Dewberry, CNN Money, 22 July 2025
Tensions between the two communities have exploded, leading to some of the worst sectarian violence Syria has seen since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s dictatorship.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 25 July 2025
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
Widespread violence between the Druze minority and Bedouin tribes in southern Syria erupted on July 13 and has left hundreds dead in the latest explosion of sectarian bloodletting since the authoritarian rule of Bashar al-Assad was toppled by a coalition of Islamist rebels.
—Sarah Dewberry, CNN Money, 22 July 2025
Tensions between the two communities have exploded, leading to some of the worst sectarian violence Syria has seen since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s dictatorship.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 25 July 2025
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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South suburban committee members, meanwhile, showed parochial loyalty to Kelly.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
19 July 2025
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In a chamber fraught with parochial interests and personalities in spades, the sprint to finish this by the July 4 holiday is going to be clipped.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
22 May 2025
Noun
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For eight days, Dayton was awash in visitors, including journalists, partisans on one side or the other and chimpanzees.—
Randall Balmer,
Twin Cities,
23 July 2025
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As the climate grows more volatile, even hardened partisans may find their views shifting in the face of unbearable loss.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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And the conflict between the law-abiding brother and his petty thief sibling isn’t over a herd of cattle or gold mine but over a screenplay an agent promises will bring them fame and fortune.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Aug. 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.—
Gloria Ngwa,
Twin Cities,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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On a sunny morning in late June, his exercise regimen began with small steps: His right foot keeping pace with the treadmill, his left foot stationary, off to the side.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
18 Aug. 2025
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Going directly from cooking inside the house and only trying my own food to trying small restaurants and traveling within a week’s span was a blessing.—
Kenneth J. Williams Jr,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Career growth inside companies still follows a narrow script—progress often defined by vertical movement alone.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
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In 2024, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Apache Stronghold in a narrow 6-5 decision.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sectarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sectarian. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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