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
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 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
-
Under the new Medicare Advantage plan, retirees would face narrower provider networks and potentially higher out-of-pocket expenses for out-of-network care.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 May 2025
-
The bone had thick walls and a narrower bone marrow cavity.—
Margherita Bassi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
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
Adjective
-
Senior provincial development officials visited Gaosheng and praised its benefits for the regional economy.—
Sebastian Rotella,
ProPublica,
23 Apr. 2025
-
With the river acting as plaintiff, a provincial court halted the project, effectively upholding the Rights of Nature provision.—
India Nye Wenner,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Although set in the small city, the movie was reportedly filmed in several locations in Louisiana.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
-
As fall approached, I was sent from the station to put out a small lightning fire several miles from my tower.—
Charles Elliott,
Outdoor Life,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
There is perhaps no one with direct access to the president who has been as outwardly and vociferously racist and bigoted.—
Ali Breland,
The Atlantic,
5 Apr. 2025
-
At its worst, her rhetoric is bigoted and myopic, perpetuating antiblack stereotypes in her psychosexual analysis of racial hierarchy in the United States.—
Audrey Wollen,
Harpers Magazine,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Mixed in with small pleasures and petty disputes with her older sister are true feats of survival and bravery.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
2 May 2025
-
Baffert had long operated under a cloud of suspicion inside and outside of racing, thanks in part to his larger-than-life public persona and his utter domination of the competition on the racetrack – not to mention a series of other petty drug infractions in big races leading up to the 2021 Derby.—
Katie Bo Lillis,
CNN Money,
2 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
-
Rich with nuance, passion, and unforgettable characters, Unaccustomed Earth invites you into the elite and insular Indian-American community of Cambridge, MA.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Rich with nuance, passion and unforgettable characters, ‘Unaccustomed Earth’ invites you into the elite and insular Indian-American community of Cambridge, MA.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Small-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small-minded. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share