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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in bigotry
stubborn or intolerant adherence to one's opinions or prejudices
an ideological sectarianism that prevented the political party from ever being anything more than a fringe group
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Recent Examples of sectarian
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024
Advertisement World & Nation Fears of sectarian tensions rise in Lebanon as Israel expands strikes
Oct. 18, 2024
How did Hezbollah get so much power in the first place?
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024
Robert Barnes, Anchorage Daily News, 20 June 2019
Lebanon’s unique sectarian make up and place in the region make its politics about local issues like jobs, infrastructure, and garbage collection as well as about regional rivalries and alliances.
—Ben Hubbard, BostonGlobe.com, 7 May 2018
See all Example Sentences for sectarian 
Adjective
The same was true of Lebanon’s sectarian appeals to foreign patrons—France for the Christians, Saudi Arabia for the Sunnis, Iran for the Shia.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024
Advertisement World & Nation Fears of sectarian tensions rise in Lebanon as Israel expands strikes
Oct. 18, 2024
How did Hezbollah get so much power in the first place?
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024
Noun
Quite the contrary, the image of the cross makes the war memorial sectarian.
—Robert Barnes, Anchorage Daily News, 20 June 2019
Lebanon’s unique sectarian make up and place in the region make its politics about local issues like jobs, infrastructure, and garbage collection as well as about regional rivalries and alliances.
—Ben Hubbard, BostonGlobe.com, 7 May 2018
See all Example Sentences for sectarian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sectarian
Adjective
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But these conservationists were not always taken seriously by professional ornithologists, who often viewed them as parochial animal lovers and laughed at their efforts.Tim Gallagher, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024
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There are literally thousands of other Americans worldwide who have dedicated their lives in similar ways to causes that are more consequential than parochial nationalism.Saleem H. Ali, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The Rome of Gladiator II is purposefully over the top, using the backdrop of the ancient world as a way to examine how petty people have always been.Esther Zuckerman, TIME, 22 Nov. 2024
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Seeing Kwon land a deflating chest kick on Sam, Axel abandons his petty fight with Miguel and shifts his target.Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 16 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Results were also mixed for a smaller sponsor, medical scrubs maker Figs, which sponsors the U.S. Olympic medical and training staff.Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 20 Nov. 2024
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But that cable business is only getting smaller, while streaming is starting to become profitable on its own.Tim Baysinger, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Shutting down the Department of Education requires congressional approval and with Republicans holding a narrow majority in the Senate, Trump's bid faces a narrow path forward.Erin Doherty, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024
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Blackhawks express desperation but don't show it in another narrow defeat What's ailing the Packers in the red zone?New York Times, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near sectarian
Cite this Entry
“Sectarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sectarian. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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