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
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 Apr. 2025
Some factions allied with the new government launched sectarian revenge attacks -- primarily targeting Assad's Alawite minority sect -- that monitoring groups say killed hundreds of civilians over several days.
—arkansasonline.com, 18 Mar. 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
Unfolding against the backdrop of the traumatic 1947 partition of India and Pakistan, the film follows a young Hindu woman caught between two Muslim suitors as religious tensions erupt into devastating sectarian violence.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 Apr. 2025
Some factions allied with the new government launched sectarian revenge attacks -- primarily targeting Assad's Alawite minority sect -- that monitoring groups say killed hundreds of civilians over several days.
—arkansasonline.com, 18 Mar. 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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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
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The other choice is an extreme partisan, someone who is selling out to special interests, has a long history of doing that, and has now tied himself to Elon Musk.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2025
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The Piazzale Loreto is where the body of dictator Benito Mussolini was strung and up stoned after his execution by Italian partisans.—
Matt Robison,
Newsweek,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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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
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The real worry, though, is their kids one day finding everything online—a fear more relatable than petty.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Although set in the small city, the movie was reportedly filmed in several locations in Louisiana.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
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India also unleashed several punitive measures against Pakistan, including suspending its participation in a water-sharing treaty that is critical for its smaller neighbor.—
Anupreeta Das,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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Spotlights provide a narrower beam of light that is better for seeing long distances.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
1 May 2025
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Often, places didn’t live up to the listings, with professional photos that turned dark into light, small into large, narrow into wide.—
Joyce Cohen,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sectarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sectarian. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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