Meaning of narrow in English

Table of contents
  1. Pronunciation
  2. Verb
    1. Definitions
  3. Classifying Adjective
    1. Definitions
  4. Noun
    1. Definitions
  5. Qualitative Adjective
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions

  1. Pronunciation

    /ˈnɛroʊ/

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  1. Verb

    narrow

    Definitions

    1. make or become more narrow or restricted

    Examples

    • « The selection was narrowed »
    • « The road narrowed »

    Antonyms

    Derived terms

  2. 2. define clearly

    Examples

    • « I cannot narrow down the rules for this game »

    Derived terms

  3. 3. become more special

    Examples

    • « We specialize in dried flowers »

    Antonyms

  4. 4. become tight or as if tight

    Examples

    • « Her throat constricted »

    Derived terms

  5. Classifying Adjective

    narrow

    Definitions

    1. limited in size or scope

    Examples

    • « the narrow sense of a word »

    Synonyms

  6. 2. characterized by painstaking care and detailed examination

    Examples

    • « a minute inspection of the grounds »
    • « a narrow scrutiny »
    • « an exact and minute report »

    Synonyms

  7. Noun

    narrow

    Definitions

    1. a narrow strait connecting two bodies of water

    Derived terms

  8. Qualitative Adjective

    narrow

    Etymology

    Old English nearu, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch naar‘dismal, unpleasant’ and German Narbe‘scar’. Early senses in English included ‘constricted’ and ‘mean’

    Definitions

    1. not wide

    Examples

    • « a narrow bridge »
    • « a narrow line across the page »

    Synonyms

    Antonyms

  9. 2. lacking tolerance or flexibility or breadth of view

    Examples

    • « a brilliant but narrow-minded judge »
    • « narrow opinions »

    Synonyms

    Antonyms

  10. 3. very limited in degree

    Examples

    • « won by a narrow margin »
    • « a narrow escape »

    Synonyms

    Antonyms

Famous quotes

  • « The realm of immediate or personal knowledge is a narrow circle in which these bodies move the realm of knowledge derived through faith is as wide as the universe, and old as eternity. »
    Matthew Simpson
  • « Acting can be a narrow and isolated experience, because you only examine your particular part. »
    Damian Lewis
  • « Middle age is when your broad mind and narrow waist begin to change places. »
    E. Joseph Cossman
  • « I hope we will not so characterize religious people as being so narrow and so biased towards people not of their own religion that they cannot even work with them in this common cause to which you say they are committed. »
    Barney Frank
  • « Ignorance and a narrow education lay the foundation of vice, and imitation and custom rear it up. »
    Mary Astell

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