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
Relevance
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
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
Once seen as a promising peacemaker and political reformer, Abbas has steadily devolved into an erratic and small-minded authoritarian with a virtually unbroken record of failure.
—Khaled Elgindy, Foreign Affairs, 30 Aug. 2024
Some began noticing similar relics of a bygone time when unscripted television had to stick in a way to a small-minded script.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 31 July 2024
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
Once seen as a promising peacemaker and political reformer, Abbas has steadily devolved into an erratic and small-minded authoritarian with a virtually unbroken record of failure.
—Khaled Elgindy, Foreign Affairs, 30 Aug. 2024
Some began noticing similar relics of a bygone time when unscripted television had to stick in a way to a small-minded script.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 31 July 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small-minded
Adjective
-
The Horned Frogs gave up two late runs in a narrow 2-1 loss to Arizona in the championship game of the Big 12 Tournament on Saturday night at Globe Life Field.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 May 2025
-
The Formula 1 season moves to its most iconic venue this weekend, with the eighth round of the championship taking place around the narrow streets of Monaco.—
Dan Cancian,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
The third barrier to advancement Hamilton mentioned is risk aversion, and the fourth is parochial services.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
-
Prevost spent nearly two decades in missionary service in Peru, beginning in 1985 with roles such as parochial vicar and chancellor in Chulucanas, and later director of formation for Augustinian aspirants in Trujillo.—
Chicago Tribune,
Twin Cities,
11 May 2025
Adjective
-
Lamb and provincial wildlife biologist Sean O’Donovan show off one new electric-fenced yard in a former conflict hot spot a few miles outside Fernie.—
Lesley Evans Ogden,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 May 2025
-
One person recently retired after 25 years at a provincial phone company.—
Karen Fonseth,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
To meet rising demand, companies sprang up and began churning out rides – smaller versions for traveling carnivals and larger ones for town squares and amusement parks.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
26 May 2025
-
The second season of HBO's zombie smash ends with battles both big and small, a major death, and a time rewind.—
Sara Netzley,
EW.com,
26 May 2025
Adjective
-
Despite this ostensible colonization of trans bodies, Céspedes trains his camera on the inherent humanity of all his subjects, including his most bigoted aggressors.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
15 May 2025
-
Attempting to smear the DNI as being in a cult is bigoted behavior.—
Tim Marchman,
Wired News,
6 May 2025
Adjective
-
The lives of these accomplished, seemingly independent women revolve around men, petty antics and low-stakes squabbles.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
29 May 2025
-
But the most powerful response isn’t rage or petty retaliation.—
Suneeta Motala,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Of the trio, Bernadette was written as the strictest rule-follower — possibly even the most narrow-minded.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Our heroine is Devon (Meghann Fahy), a hot mess from Buffalo who has arrived on a rich and insular Martha’s Vineyard-eque island in search of her younger sister Simone (Milly Alcock).—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
22 May 2025
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Business history is littered with failures rooted in the suppression of dissenting views: Swissair’s board became increasingly insular and overconfident before the airline's collapse in 2002.—
Roger Dooley,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Small-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small-minded. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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