as in parochial
not broad or open in views or opinions
there are people on both the left and the right who have staked out unyielding sectarian positions in this debate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in partisan
one who stubbornly or intolerantly adheres to his or her own opinions and prejudices
charged that the work of Congress has been stymied by sectarians who are indifferent to reason and intolerant of compromise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sectarian
Monica Duffy Toft,
The Conversation,
25 June 2026
One consequence of the ensuing wars was the emergence of a new, anti-sectarian, pacifist element in Dutch religious life.
—
Clare Bucknell,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sectarian
Adjective
The history of peacemaking – from Kadesh to the Dayton Accords that ended the Bosnian war, to the Belfast Agreement that halted the 30-year sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland – shows that public blowups and threats to walk out are normal stages, not proof of failure.
—
Monica Duffy Toft,
The Conversation,
25 June 2026
One consequence of the ensuing wars was the emergence of a new, anti-sectarian, pacifist element in Dutch religious life.
—
Clare Bucknell,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
Noun
The Iraqi prime minister at the time, Nuri al-Maliki, was a Shiite sectarian with close ties to Iran, and many of his fellow Shia thought he could be relied on to listen to Iran’s wishes and find a way to avoid clashing with an Iranian proxy militia.
—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sectarian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sectarian
Adjective
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They are hired hands and stewards of other people’s capital, with no desire to becoming embroiled in internecine squabbles between clashing advocates, parochial activists, and plain opportunists latching on to the moment.
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In the most parochial place that ever was or ever will be, authenticity functions as a means of psychic gatekeeping, and someone who doesn’t speak the lingua Francona isn’t someone who’s worth listening to when the game’s on.
Noun
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Reynolds tracks the willingness of northern partisans—Carl Schurz, Horace Greeley, Lyman Trumbull, and even Sumner himself—to abandon that cause by the dwindling references to Jamestown and Plymouth.
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Meanwhile, partisans continued to spar over dozens of Republican bills that would allow voters to lower property taxes for homeowners by raising sales taxes on everyone.
Adjective
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The killing has drawn comparisons to other instances of other Black people who lost their life in cases of accusations of petty criminal offenses, such as the murder of George Floyd.
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Some were petty — like Reese committing a foul against Clark, then jerking her head back, impersonating Clark as a flopper.
Adjective
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Name the worry out loud, then choose a small boundary that protects your energy, such as turning off notifications during a demanding task.
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People milled about clutching small rainbow flags from the human rights organization Outright International.
Adjective
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Many of Haaland’s bags are actually Haut à Courroies (HAC), the model that the Birkin is based off, but with a slightly taller and narrower profile.
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But with 10,000 baby boomers reportedly retiring every day and millions of businesses approaching a transition point, the window to get it right is narrow.
Cite this Entry
“Sectarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sectarian. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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