1
as in narrow
unwilling to grant other people social rights or to accept other viewpoints
a small-minded man only concerned with his own well-being
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in parochial
not broad or open in views or opinions
resented the small-minded people who automatically opposed every new idea
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of small-minded
Incremental development and half-measures got us into this problem; that small-minded thinking will not get us out of it.
—
Zellnor Myrie, New York Daily News, 9 June 2025
Identify 5 specific behaviors, habits, or thought patterns that would seem ridiculous or small-minded to someone playing at a higher level.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
The way that Pliny saw it, astrology was small-minded fatalism, in which people glommed onto meaningless symbols for a sense of identity.
—Maya Layne, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2025
Their small-minded nature is justified through closeness, but really, everyone seems miserable, with their connections to Judaism existing in social standing only.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2024
Clearly, the two men are supposed to represent competing visions of Britishness: the one tolerant and outward-looking, drawing on the country’s rich heritage as a way to move the culture forward, the other entitled and small-minded, invested in the past only as a tool of propaganda.
—Giles Harvey, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024
This latest incident is yet another example of Trump’s small-minded, black-and-white thinking that denotes a simple mind unable to comprehend or consider policies that exist in the gray areas of governing.
—Robin Epley, The Mercury News, 21 Sep. 2024
The customer base is more informed and to make small-minded temporary transactions based on the political climate is the wrong direction for any company.
—Rhett Buttle, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024
The latter consist of several cartoon-like locals with high levels of bigotry and stupidity — the kind of small-minded, provincial Frenchmen and women featured in hit Gallic comedies like Serial Bad Weddings or the Tuche series.
—Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Sep. 2024
Zellnor Myrie, New York Daily News, 9 June 2025
Identify 5 specific behaviors, habits, or thought patterns that would seem ridiculous or small-minded to someone playing at a higher level.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
The way that Pliny saw it, astrology was small-minded fatalism, in which people glommed onto meaningless symbols for a sense of identity.
—Maya Layne, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2025
Their small-minded nature is justified through closeness, but really, everyone seems miserable, with their connections to Judaism existing in social standing only.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2024
Clearly, the two men are supposed to represent competing visions of Britishness: the one tolerant and outward-looking, drawing on the country’s rich heritage as a way to move the culture forward, the other entitled and small-minded, invested in the past only as a tool of propaganda.
—Giles Harvey, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024
This latest incident is yet another example of Trump’s small-minded, black-and-white thinking that denotes a simple mind unable to comprehend or consider policies that exist in the gray areas of governing.
—Robin Epley, The Mercury News, 21 Sep. 2024
The customer base is more informed and to make small-minded temporary transactions based on the political climate is the wrong direction for any company.
—Rhett Buttle, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024
The latter consist of several cartoon-like locals with high levels of bigotry and stupidity — the kind of small-minded, provincial Frenchmen and women featured in hit Gallic comedies like Serial Bad Weddings or the Tuche series.
—Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small-minded
Adjective
-
While the House of Representatives passed one version of the legislation and the Senate advanced a separate one, the GOP’s narrow majorities in both chambers make the timing of the eventual package and its exact provisions less certain.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
30 June 2025
-
The Senate begins its marathon debate about President Donald Trump's package of legislative priorities as Republicans try to thread the needle for tax cuts, Medicaid reforms and border security funding with a narrow majority.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
30 June 2025
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
-
The Inuit community wants to work with scientists to set up a provincial park that would protect the land while allowing researchers to study it.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2025
-
Its funders include private companies and four layers of government (provincial, regional, national, and European).—
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
The veteran would be a small upgrade in the outfield for the Padres.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 July 2025
-
Deerhoof is a small mom and pop operation, and know when enough is enough.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
Only the Ku Klux Klan could enjoy such bigoted and nonsensical statements.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
-
This concern over harmful or bigoted speech is not new.—
Jacob Mchangama,
The Conversation,
12 May 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
-
That is something that has always struck me as strange and narrow-minded.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 June 2025
-
The inherent orthodoxy of his premise excluded all other alternatives to narrow-minded rationalism and its ethical constraints.—
Jonathon Keats,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
His decision not to return to his village and his father signifies freedom from an insular past but also sets him on the path of finding his own identity.—
Richard Newby,
HollywoodReporter,
23 June 2025
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The locals nearly revolted against the Hollywood film crew who’d invaded the insular island community to shoot the picture.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Small-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small-minded. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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