narrow-minded

adjective

nar·​row-mind·​ed ˈner-(ˌ)ō-ˈmīn-dəd 

ˈna-(ˌ)rō-

: not willing to accept opinions, beliefs, behaviors, etc. that are unusual or different from one's own : not open-minded

narrow-mindedly adverb

narrow-mindedness noun

Synonyms

• bigoted
• illiberal
• intolerant
• narrow
• prejudiced
• small-minded

Examples of narrow-minded in a Sentence

it took a while for some of the more narrow-minded members of management to be persuaded to modernize the dress code

narrow-minded people who instinctively feared and shunned those from different cultures

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead of articulating a compelling vision that could spark a broad-minded counterpunch to narrow-minded populism, Newsom has taken an oddly defeatist course in his first podcasts. —Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025

Gazing out onto Prince William Sound with its stunning scenery had this narrow-minded city-and-car guy bitten by the cruise bug. —David Dickstein, Orange County Register, 5 Feb. 2025

The Grammys have always prized a narrow-minded, classic sense of musicianship: deft songwriting, big vocals, live instrumentation. —Justin Curto, Vulture, 3 Feb. 2025

Some people associate a frugal spender with a narrow-minded person who is a tightwad, a cheapskate, a penny-pincher, and worse of all an outright scrooge. —Lance Eliot, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025

People are going to take things and run with them and be narrow-minded or whatever or take something out of context. —Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2024

The art world was dismissing the popular reception of Photorealism with a similarly narrow-minded explanation: Ordinary people, whose experience was being represented, liked it. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024

That’s the rigorous—or narrow-minded—judgment that . . . —Gordon Hughes, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2024

But the pacing is zippy; the animation is lush and textured, especially when the series, unexpectedly and wonderfully, veers into the supernatural; and the characterization tweaks are inspired, especially those that will make the most narrow-minded people mad. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for narrow-minded

• rescinded
• winded

Kids Definition

narrow-minded

adjective

nar·​row-mind·​ed

ˌnar-ō-ˈmīn-dəd

: intolerant sense 2, bigoted

narrow-mindedness noun