Smallminded

Smallminded is an English adjective describing a person who is narrow in outlook, petty in judgment, or intolerant of ideas that fall outside their own concerns. A small-minded view typically fixates on trivial details, displays a limited imagination, and ignores larger consequences or broader perspectives. The term is evaluative and pejorative, used to criticize behavior rather than to describe a clinical condition.

The usual modern form is small-minded with a hyphen; the unhyphenated variant smallminded is also found, typically in older texts or in styles that avoid hyphenation. The compound is related to narrow-minded and closed-minded, but it often conveys a stronger sense of petty prejudice or a restricted horizon. Related terms include petty, prejudiced, parochial, and small-spirited.

In criticism, calling someone small-minded signals that their judgments are unduly restricted, often tied to personal biases or a reluctance to engage with new information. It can be applied to individuals or groups, in politics, culture, or the workplace. While the label can be effective for drawing attention to unproductive thinking, it can also oversimplify arguments and function as a polarized insult.