sectarian 1 of 3

sectarian

2 of 3

noun (1)

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

sectarianism

3 of 3

noun (2)

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 sectarian
Adjective
As a result, the sectarian world is going up in flames. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2025 In 2023, for example, peace ambassadors gathered in Barkin Ladi, another community in Plateau state known for violent sectarian conflict. Nathaniel Bivan, Christian Science Monitor, 27 May 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
  • Brian Colbert ran on a parochial platform focused on garden-variety local issues.
    Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025
  • In his quest for a definitive biography of Joyce as a cosmopolitan artist, above the parochial fray, Ellmann downplayed Joyce’s interest in politics.
    Eric Bulson, The Atlantic, 16 June 2025
Adjective
  • While Lian was staring in the mirror practicing her hows and lows and preparing for her future, Wenyu was sneaking out of prep class more and more frequently to pull petty pranks with her new boyfriend.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025
  • Seventy-five years later, some of the Tribune’s criticisms seem petty.
    Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • The veteran would be a small upgrade in the outfield for the Padres.
    Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
  • The 13 day Patagonia trip, called The Land of the Titans, is scheduled from October 27-November 8 as a small group trip combining dinosaur discoveries with cultural ones.
    Laurie Werner, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • In more challenging games, however, the side often flatters to deceive and occasionally slips up, as a narrow 2-1 victory over Boca Juniors and 0-1 loss to Benfica showed.
    Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • Nothing dramatizes the human comedy with more precision than the sound of a happily narrow mind retorting to the wider environment.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 30 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sectarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sectarian. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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