small-minded

adjective

ˈsmȯl-ˈmīn-dəd How to pronounce small-minded (audio)
Definition of small-mindednext
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

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 All those small-hearted, small-minded people, there's a hell for you. — Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 25 May 2026 Stedman offers a heartfelt homage to the virtues of rural community and the natural beauty unique to Western Australia, as well as a critique of the strictures and dangers inherent in small-minded communities. — The Know, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026 What if both groups ignored the small-minded prison of petty politics? — Aaron Everitt, STAT, 10 Apr. 2026 The richest team in the league has now become its most small-minded and timid, afraid to do anything approaching creativity or boldness. — James Mirtle, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for small-minded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small-minded
  1. narrow
  2. parochial
  3. provincial
  4. small
  5. bigoted
  6. petty
  7. narrow-minded
  8. insular
Adjective
  • Burner accounts from China and Russia And those partnership ads are channeled through a narrow group of creators, ORL says.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Just like their simulated counterparts, the worms consistently moved through the narrower channels faster than the wider ones.
    — K. R. Prathyusha, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of narrow
Adjective
  • In some cases, opposition might amount to parochial not in my backyard — or NIMBY — concerns.
    — Stefan Chavez-Norgaard, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Several residents who spoke at the meetings characterized the opposition as a vocal minority of residents who have fixated on a few mostly parochial issues.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of parochial
Adjective
  • The project’s latest provincial award now adds further recognition as engineers continue to expand the practical limits of long-span concrete bridge construction.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Los Angeles Times reported that the provincial leaders agreed.
    — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of provincial
Adjective
  • That’s a dangerous prospect for any country, but especially for Singapore, crammed into a space smaller than New York City.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • But after home brewers were able to show the appeal of hoppy IPAs, malty stouts and citrusy wheat ales, that eventually led to a boom in small breweries.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • In its bleakest moments, the novel suggests that the ordeal of being gay in a venomously bigoted society negates its bounty.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The latter accidentally does happen, which leads to power struggles between the bigoted jerk and our trio of heroines.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of bigoted
Adjective
  • Trump will depart sooner or later, the banners will be torn down and much of his petty talk will be and should be forgotten.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The players air their grievances, which are essentially a pile of petty conflicts and resentments that, as Alice warned, can be traced back to the team fracturing into cliques.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of petty
Adjective
  • Debbie Duncan, director of talent acquisition at Northwestern Mutual, says one of the biggest mistakes new graduates can make is being narrow-minded with their job search.
    — Courtney Connley-Hampton, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026
  • However, curiosity can interrupt that narrow-minded thinking, according to Maya Nehru, MA, LMFT, a psychotherapist offering services in anxiety and trauma in San Diego and Washington.
    — Jenna Ryu, SELF, 25 Mar. 2026
Definition of narrow-minded
Adjective
  • Set against the remote, insular world of its titular island, production designer Steve Arnold and set decorator Jennifer Engel created a lived-in, slightly stuck in time and, when necessary, deeply unsettling environment.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026
  • For example, academic departments often become insular, scholars may quickly dismiss unfamiliar perspectives without enough knowledge, and some fields would benefit from broader intellectual and methodological representation.
    — Marybeth Gasman, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of insular

Browse Nearby Words

smallish
small-minded
small-mindedness
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Cite this Entry

“Small-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small-minded. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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