insular
Closed off mentally
Insular describes an isolated or inward-looking quality.
An insular community has little contact with the outside world.
Insular attitudes show narrow-mindedness or resistance to outside ideas: The company's insular culture prevented it from adapting to change.
The word derives from the Latin for island—suggesting something surrounded by water and cut off from broader currents.
Narrow in perspective
- provincialRegional or narrow-minded
- myopicUnable to see far
- shortsightedUnable to see ahead
- blinkeredHaving restricted outlook
xenophobic · ethnocentric · close-minded · bigoted · intolerant · chauvinistic · prejudiced · sectarian
Set apart, private
- sequesteredRemoved from contact
- cloisteredSheltered from outside contact
- cut-offSeparated or terminated
- separatedPut or kept apart
withdrawn · hermitic · reclusive · detached · remote · inaccessible · marooned · quarantined
Chain of scattered islands
coastal · landlocked · isolated · secluded · offshore · territorial · bounded · enclosed
Excluding those outside one's group
- clannishExclusionary toward outsiders
- exclusionaryTending to bar others
- unwelcomingHostile to guests
- closedNot accessible now
gated · restrictive · elitist · snobbish · standoffish · tribal · tight-knit · clubby
Self-directed and free
- self-sufficientAble to provide independently
- independentFree from external control
- self-reliantAble to provide independently
- self-supportingAble to maintain oneself
enclosed · self-sustaining · compartmentalized · sealed · self-governed · bounded · contained · self-standing
Protecting from harm
- defensiveProtective or easily threatened
- guardingActively protecting something
- safeguardingPreventing harm or loss
- fortifyingMaking stronger or sturdier
sheltering · preserving · buffered · walled · cocooned · protectionist · ring-fenced · barricaded
parochial
Narrow in perspective
- provincialRegional or narrow-minded
- myopicUnable to see far
- shortsightedUnable to see ahead
blinkered · xenophobic · ethnocentric · close-minded · bigoted · intolerant · chauvinistic · prejudiced · sectarian · dogmatic
secluded
Set apart, private
- sequesteredRemoved from contact
- cloisteredSheltered from outside contact
- cut-offSeparated or terminated
separated · withdrawn · hermitic · reclusive · detached · remote · inaccessible · marooned · quarantined · walled-off
archipelago
Chain of scattered islands
oceanic · coastal · landlocked · isolated · secluded · offshore · territorial · bounded · enclosed · circumscribed
cliquish
Excluding those outside one's group
- clannishExclusionary toward outsiders
- exclusionaryTending to bar others
- unwelcomingHostile to guests
closed · gated · restrictive · elitist · snobbish · standoffish · tribal · tight-knit · clubby · impenetrable
autonomous
Self-directed and free
- self-sufficientAble to provide independently
- independentFree from external control
- self-reliantAble to provide independently
self-supporting · enclosed · self-sustaining · compartmentalized · sealed · self-governed · bounded · contained · self-standing
shielding
Protecting from harm
- defensiveProtective or easily threatened
- guardingActively protecting something
- safeguardingPreventing harm or loss
fortifying · sheltering · preserving · buffered · walled · cocooned · protectionist · ring-fenced · barricaded · cushioned
- intolerantbigoted, biased, prejudiced, discriminatory, intolerant
- letteringlettering styles, letterforms, calligraphy, hand lettering, handwriting
- paleographypaleography, uncial, minuscule, majuscule, cursive
- self-containedstandalone, independent, modular, complete, autonomous
- scriptsalphabet, Latin alphabet, Roman alphabet, Greek alphabet, Hebrew alphabet
insularopen-minded
Receptive to different ideas
broad-minded · cosmopolitan · worldly · receptive · tolerant
insularoutward-looking
Oriented toward others
connected · inclusive · engaged · open · gregarious
insularcontinental
Of a continent
mainland · connected · accessible · landlocked · central
- insulating tapeAdhesive strip protecting wiring
- natural insulationBuilt-in temperature regulation
- attic insulationMaterial preventing heat escape overhead
- insulin pumpsDevices delivering pancreatic hormone
- insulated handleHeat-resistant gripping surface
- insulin shotHormone injection for diabetics
peninsula, insulate, insulation, insulated, insulating, insulin, insulator, insularity, insulators