insular
gb/ˈɪnsəlɚ/ us/ˈɪnsəlɚ/
B2
English
szűklátókörű, befelé forduló, szigeti, insuláris
C1
1
szűklátókörű
C1
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is insular
The company grew insular after years without serious competition.
A cég évekig tartó komoly verseny hiányában befelé fordulóvá vált.
His insular worldview made it hard for him to work with international colleagues.
Szűklátókörű világszemlélete megnehezítette számára, hogy nemzetközi kollégákkal dolgozzon együtt.
The debate was dominated by insular concerns rather than global realities.
Learner examples
Don’t be insular—listen to other people’s ideas.
Ne légy szűklátókörű – hallgasd meg mások ötleteit.
The team became insular and stopped learning.
A csapat befelé fordulóvá vált, és leállt a tanulással.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with "insolated" or think it only means "on an island"; this meaning is often figurative.
Meaning
narrow-minded; inward-looking
Collocations
an insular attitude
|an insular mindset
|insular thinking
|an insular culture
|an insular community
|insular views
|insular politics
|insular nationalism
|become insular
|remain insular
Synonyms
parochial (Often suggests limited experience or narrow local perspective.)
|
inward-looking (Emphasizes focusing on oneself rather than outside influences.)
|
provincial (Suggests unsophisticated or limited by a small-world outlook.)
Antonyms
open-minded (Willing to consider different ideas and perspectives.)
|
cosmopolitan (Familiar with and accepting of many cultures and places.)
|
outward-looking (Focused on engagement with the wider world.)
Themes
society
|attitudes
|culture
|politics
Definition
Only interested in your own group and not open to others.
Not interested in new ideas, other places, or different ways of thinking; narrowly focused on one’s own group, country, or traditions.
B2
2
szigeti
B1
Usage pattern:
insular [life/economy/climate/species]
The region has an insular climate with mild winters and cool summers.
A térségnek szigeti éghajlata van, enyhe telekkel és hűvös nyarakkal.
Insular species often evolve in unusual ways because they are separated from mainland populations.
A szigeti fajok gyakran szokatlan módon fejlődnek, mert elkülönülnek a szárazföldi populációktól.
The museum highlights the area’s insular history and seafaring culture.
Learner examples
They live in an insular community on a small island.
Egy kis szigeten élő közösségben laknak.
The island has an insular climate.
A szigeten szigeti éghajlat uralkodik.
Common mistake:
In this literal meaning, "insular" describes island connection; it does not mean "isolated" in a general sense unless the context implies it.
Meaning
related to an island
Collocations
insular climate
|insular species
|insular habitat
|insular economy
|insular life
|insular ecosystems
|insular geography
|insular communities
Synonyms
island (Common in compounds (e.g., island communities), less formal than "insular".)
|
island-based (Highlights location or operation on an island.)
Antonyms
continental (Related to a mainland rather than an island.)
|
mainland (Belonging to or located on the main landmass.)
Themes
geography
|places
Definition
Connected with an island.
Of, relating to, or characteristic of an island or islands.
C2
TECHNICAL
3
insuláris
C2
Usage pattern:
insular [cortex/region/lesion/activity]
Imaging showed increased insular cortex activity during pain perception.
A képalkotó vizsgálat az insuláris kéreg fokozott aktivitását mutatta a fájdalom észlelése közben.
The paper discusses insular damage and its effects on taste and emotion.
A tanulmány az insuláris károsodást és annak az ízlelésre, illetve az érzelmekre gyakorolt hatásait tárgyalja.
Meaning
relating to the insula (brain)
Collocations
insular cortex
|insular region
|insular activity
|insular lesion
|anterior insular
|posterior insular
Synonyms
insular (cortical) (Used in medical contexts to specify the insula specifically.)
Antonyms
non-insular (Not involving the insula region.)
Themes
health
|science
Definition
Connected with the insula, a part of the brain.
Relating to the insula, a region of the brain involved in functions such as emotion, perception, and bodily awareness.
Grammar
Dictionary form
insular
IPA
GB/ˈɪnsəlɚ/
US/ˈɪnsəlɚ/
Syllables & stress
in - su - lar (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (in)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: insular
Word family
Expressions
insular community
1/ˈɪnsəlɚ kəmjˈunɪti/
fixed phrase
closed, self-contained social group
A community that is closed to outsiders.
Examples
- It was an insular community where newcomers took years to feel accepted.
- Social media can create insular communities that rarely interact with different viewpoints.
Learner examples
- It is an insular community.
- Outsiders felt unwelcome in the insular community.
insular mentality
1/ˈɪnsəlɚ mɛntˈælɪti/
fixed phrase
narrow, inward-looking way of thinking
A way of thinking that is not open to other ideas.
Examples
- Years of isolation had created an insular mentality in the organization.
- She challenged the insular mentality that dismissed anything foreign as inferior.
Learner examples
- He has an insular mentality.
- The school wants to avoid an insular mentality.
insular outlook
1/ˈɪnsəlɚ ˈaʊtlˌʊk/
fixed phrase
inward-looking perspective
A view that ignores what happens outside your own group or country.
Examples
- An insular outlook can make it difficult to work in a global market.
- Critics argued that the policy reflected an insular outlook on international cooperation.
Learner examples
- Try not to have an insular outlook.
- His insular outlook surprised me.
insular thinking
1/ˈɪnsəlɚ θˈɪŋkɪŋ/
fixed phrase
narrow, closed-off reasoning
Thinking that does not accept new ideas.
Examples
- The workshop was designed to break the habit of insular thinking.
- Insular thinking kept the team from learning from other departments.
Learner examples
- Insular thinking can cause problems at work.