small-minded
Limited in outlook
Small-minded describes someone with narrow views, petty concerns, or an unwillingness to consider ideas beyond their immediate experience.
A small-minded person fixates on trivial matters, holds rigid opinions, and lacks generosity of spirit: Don't be so small-minded—it's not about the money.
The word carries clear disapproval, suggesting intellectual or moral limitation.
Narrow in perspective
- provincialRegional or narrow-minded
- myopicUnable to see far
- inward-lookingFocused on oneself
- clannishExclusionary toward outsiders
isolationist · blinkered · cloistered · sheltered · unworldly · localist · self-contained · circumscribed
Stubbornly intolerant of others
- biasedUnfairly favoring one side
- discriminatoryShowing unfair distinction
- intolerantRejecting differing beliefs
- xenophobicFearing or hating outsiders
racist · sexist · homophobic · chauvinistic · ethnocentric · jingoistic · partisan · judgmental
Lacking significance or weight
- pettifoggingFussing over trivialities
- picayuneOf trivial importance
- nigglingTrivially but persistently bothersome
- nitpickingExcessive focus on trivialities
quibbling · carping · begrudging · grudging · vindictive · spiteful · resentful · envious
Rigidly adhering to tradition
- inflexibleUnable to bend
- stubbornRefusing to change course
- obstinateFirmly refusing to yield
- unyieldingRefusing to give way
unbending · dogmatic · orthodox · conventional · traditionalist · reactionary · unimaginative · uncreative
Unable to see ahead
- unambitiousLacking desire for achievement
- incuriousLacking desire to learn
- shallowWithout much depth
- superficialLacking depth or substance
simplistic · unenlightened · uninformed · ignorant · uncultured · unsophisticated · naive · unaware
parochial
Narrow in perspective
- provincialRegional or narrow-minded
- myopicUnable to see far
- inward-lookingFocused on oneself
clannish · isolationist · blinkered · cloistered · sheltered · unworldly · localist · self-contained · circumscribed · enclosed
bigoted
Stubbornly intolerant of others
- biasedUnfairly favoring one side
- discriminatoryShowing unfair distinction
- intolerantRejecting differing beliefs
xenophobic · racist · sexist · homophobic · chauvinistic · ethnocentric · jingoistic · partisan · judgmental · stereotyping
trivial
Lacking significance or weight
- pettifoggingFussing over trivialities
- picayuneOf trivial importance
- nigglingTrivially but persistently bothersome
nitpicking · quibbling · carping · begrudging · grudging · vindictive · spiteful · resentful · envious · jealous
hidebound
Rigidly adhering to tradition
- inflexibleUnable to bend
- stubbornRefusing to change course
- obstinateFirmly refusing to yield
unyielding · unbending · dogmatic · orthodox · conventional · traditionalist · reactionary · unimaginative · uncreative · unadventurous
shortsighted
Unable to see ahead
- unambitiousLacking desire for achievement
- incuriousLacking desire to learn
- shallowWithout much depth
superficial · simplistic · unenlightened · uninformed · ignorant · uncultured · unsophisticated · naive · unaware · oblivious
- ___-minded words
- intolerantbigoted, biased, prejudiced, discriminatory, intolerant
- narrow-mindednessnarrow-mindedness, narrowness, close-mindedness, closed-mindedness, bigotry
small-mindedbroad-minded
Receptive to differing views
open-minded · large-minded · catholic · expansive · curious
small-mindedmagnanimous
Noble and forgiving
generous · noble · big-hearted · large-hearted · gracious
small-mindedtolerant
Accepting of differences
unprejudiced · unbiased · fair-minded · liberal · progressive
mind, minded, narrow-minded, smalls, mean-spirited, small-mindedness