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GRE vocabulary

insular

adjectiveHigh-frequency wordMore I words

narrow-minded or isolated in outlook

Word origin: From Latin insula, island.

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In a sentence

Insular in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing insular in a sentence.

Living in such an insular community, he rarely encountered differing views.

The village's insular culture left it deeply suspicious of any custom brought in from beyond the valley.

Synonyms
parochialnarrow-mindedprovincialisolated
Antonyms
cosmopolitanbroad-minded

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Verbal · Text Completion

The historian argued that the empire's collapse was not blank but the predictable outcome of decades of fiscal mismanagement that contemporaries had simply refused to acknowledge.

Select the word that best completes the sentence.

Usage & nuance

Using “insular” well

Insular describes a narrow, isolated outlook, as if cut off like an island, and it contrasts with cosmopolitan and broad-minded.

Common questions

Questions about “insular”

Insular (adjective) means narrow-minded or isolated in outlook
Here is insular used in an example sentence: "Living in such an insular community, he rarely encountered differing views." Another example: "The village's insular culture left it deeply suspicious of any custom brought in from beyond the valley."
Common synonyms for insular include parochial, narrow-minded, provincial, isolated.
Antonyms of insular include cosmopolitan, broad-minded.
Insular clusters with parochial, narrow-minded, provincial, and isolated. Its antonyms cosmopolitan and broad-minded mark the contrast.
Yes. Insular is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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