as in parochial
not broad or open in views or opinions
an insular community that is not receptive of new ideas, especially from outsiders
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insular
Belichick, always an insular coach, further withdrew during that season amid his team’s struggles, according to team sources with knowledge of the situation.
—
Chad Graff, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
An even more explicit example of Marin County’s stubborn resistance is occurring in Fairfax, another insular community a few miles from Newsom’s new home.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 12 Dec. 2024
Watch on Deadline One major focus for Ando was to build bridges between Japan’s notoriously insular film industry and leading filmmakers in the rest of the world – hence the TIFF Lounge, which Ando devised with Cannes Palme d’Or-winning director Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters).
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2024
The group became increasingly insular, and encouraged Lenz to distrust anyone outside of it.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for insular 
Chad Graff, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
An even more explicit example of Marin County’s stubborn resistance is occurring in Fairfax, another insular community a few miles from Newsom’s new home.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 12 Dec. 2024
Watch on Deadline One major focus for Ando was to build bridges between Japan’s notoriously insular film industry and leading filmmakers in the rest of the world – hence the TIFF Lounge, which Ando devised with Cannes Palme d’Or-winning director Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters).
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2024
The group became increasingly insular, and encouraged Lenz to distrust anyone outside of it.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for insular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insular
Adjective
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This may seem like an impossible task in a world where politics is becoming more divisive, foreign policy more parochial, and social media bubbles more impenetrable.—
Harvey Whitehouse,
WIRED,
23 Jan. 2025
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For more than a century, religious education had been deeply entrenched in the state; in Cleveland, the parochial system was one of the largest in the country.—
Alec MacGillis,
ProPublica,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Sitting in front of local leaders, Trump again wrongly blamed elements of the fire disaster on a lack of water resources coming from the Delta and environmental protections for the delta smelt, a small fish near extinction that has become a symbol of GOP frustration.—
Ari Plachta,
Sacramento Bee,
25 Jan. 2025
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Imagine rewiring your belief in yourself even on a small stage, but in front of millions.—
Matthew Futterman,
The Athletic,
25 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Organized theft is no petty crime; these are not one-off crimes of desperation or a mom lifting a can of formula to feed her baby.—
Cailey Locklair,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Jan. 2025
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In November 2023, Pryer filed a motion to terminate her remaining two years of probation based on a recent court ruling which held that a defendant convicted of a single petty offense may not be sentenced to both imprisonment and probation.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Think narrow sections with extra weight in the middle to give you more control for day-to-day styling at home.—
Fiona Embleton,
Glamour,
25 Jan. 2025
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The large table serves as the primary crafting area; the narrow wood desk is her workstation.—
Ella Field,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near insular
Cite this Entry
“Insular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insular. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
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