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 And among the small-minded, the idea of a female Bond remains unthinkable. — Judy Berman, Time, 15 July 2026 All those small-hearted, small-minded people, there’s a hell for you. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 25 May 2026 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 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
  • The decision to set that tone staggering through all 10 minutes of the extended cut might scan as raw inspiration, placing Spacemen 3 on a narrow band from La Monte Young and Terry Riley to some brilliant dro)))ne future.
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Recent polls have shown Jackson holding only a narrow lead over Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms.
    — DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of narrow
Adjective
  • For Bourne, newspapers, besides giving information, encourage an acceptance of non-parochial views.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Our small island has arguably contributed more in terms of popular music than any other nation, but British driving songs are unavoidably parochial.
    — Jason Barlow, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of parochial
Adjective
  • The provincial government said a committee had been formed to investigate the cause of the roof collapse of the three-story building.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In total, the deal will inject nearly 125 megawatts of extra clean electricity into the provincial grid.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of provincial
Adjective
  • Comparing households aged 72 and older in 2022 with those aged 75 and older in 2025, Maggiulli calculated a smaller—but still substantial—21% increase.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The development could help make optical atomic clocks smaller and more suitable for use outside laboratories.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • The killing, often deliberate, of more than twenty thousand children in Gaza injured consciences, not purses, and consciences could be managed with some ritual censuring of Benjamin Netanyahu or his proudly bigoted colleagues.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Over the five hours that follow, the series tracks what led to the tragedy — specifically, his complicated relationship with his resentful, bigoted next-door neighbor, Clive (David Morrissey).
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of bigoted
Adjective
  • Blacks in the South were routinely imprisoned on petty or trumped-up charges, then leased out to landowners, mining companies, railroads and factories as unpaid labor.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, out on the streets, young con artist Thomas Shepherd (Ruaridh Mollica) and pickpocket Lisa Molinari (Lauren Morais) are running petty scams.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of petty
Adjective
  • Now, our narrow-minded and hard-hearted lawmakers and education overseers do not want undocumented students in Florida to get a college education.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of narrow-minded
Adjective
  • The yearslong feud offers a rare window into the insular world of top-tier science labs, where directors wield outsized authority.
    — Chris Serres — Boston Globe, STAT, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Amid geopolitical uncertainty and the AI boom, executive leadership has had to become a much less insular affair.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 16 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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