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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in bigotry
stubborn or intolerant adherence to one's opinions or prejudices
an ideological sectarianism that prevented the political party from ever being anything more than a fringe group
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sectarian
Euan Ward,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
Rivalries like the Old Firm are also fueled by sectarian differences that predate the Troubles in Ireland.
—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 May 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
During the civil war, the Army splintered along sectarian lines, and, for a time, that consensus collapsed.
—
Euan Ward,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
Rivalries like the Old Firm are also fueled by sectarian differences that predate the Troubles in Ireland.
—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 May 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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In the most parochial place that ever was or ever will be, authenticity functions as a means of psychic gatekeeping, and someone who doesn’t speak the lingua Francona isn’t someone who’s worth listening to when the game’s on.
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Of course, the ever-parochial instincts of Chicago, where neighborhood loyalties rule and aldermen are fiercely protective of their ward domains, means the decision on the location of any future Leo landmark could be contentious.
Noun
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Meanwhile, partisans continued to spar over dozens of Republican bills that would allow voters to lower property taxes for homeowners by raising sales taxes on everyone.
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When anti-elite sentiment is bipartisan, the real swing voter becomes the disgruntled partisan.
Adjective
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Instead, Defendants appear to be actively undermining the restoration of the Kennedy Center’s name, in a petty act of defiance.
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The two deaths join a long list of other instances of Black Americans dying in interactions with police after accusations of petty criminal offenses.
Adjective
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Name the worry out loud, then choose a small boundary that protects your energy, such as turning off notifications during a demanding task.
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People milled about clutching small rainbow flags from the human rights organization Outright International.
Adjective
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The narrow 3-2 decision was made at a meeting early Friday morning, the third and final such vote on a data center moratorium.
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Group 1 is pulmonary arterial hypertension, a rare and severe version that occurs when blood vessels in the lungs narrow and stiffen.
Cite this Entry
“Sectarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sectarian. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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