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Synonyms

small-minded

American  
[smawl-mahyn-did] / ˈsmɔlˈmaɪn dɪd /

adjective

  1. selfish, petty, or narrow-minded.


small-minded British  

adjective

  1. narrow-minded; petty; intolerant; mean

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • small-mindedly adverb
  • small-mindedness noun

Etymology

Origin of small-minded

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I counted on her small-minded interference in the day-to-day running of the school to keep attention diverted elsewhere, while I searched for the information I needed.”

From Literature

“I’m sure there are small-minded people in Manhattan, but our show just wasn’t focused on that part,” he says.

From Los Angeles Times

But it’s not just the small — and small-minded, and small-hearted — wealthy libertarian or right-wing elite.

From Salon

Indeed, the “very sleepy and small-minded” island off the coast of England, known for its beautiful coasts, isaltogether a grain of sand in the Channel, hidden underneath the mainland’s shadow.

From Los Angeles Times

Most of this material doesn't seem political, but it does encourage a form of small-minded narcissism, with the relentless focus on the self.

From Salon