narrow
gb/nˈɛɹoʊ/ us/nˈɛɹoʊ/
A2
English
~ 1800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
property
1
small in width
Not wide; having little space from side to side.
Usage pattern:
a narrow [street/road/path]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'narrow' with 'thin'. 'Thin' usually describes thickness, while 'narrow' describes width from side to side.
Synonyms
slim (Suggests thinness, often used for objects or people, sometimes with a positive connotation.)
|
thin (General term for having little thickness; can refer to width in some contexts.)
Antonyms
wide (Describes something with a large distance from side to side.)
|
broad (Similar to 'wide', often used for roads, shoulders, or expanses.)
Collocations
narrow street
|narrow path
|narrow escape
|narrow corridor
|narrow passage
Themes
measurement
|description
|daily life
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The car could barely fit down the narrow street.
- We crossed a narrow bridge over the river.
- The hallway was too narrow for two people to walk side by side.
Learner examples
- The road is very narrow.
- I walk on a narrow path.
- This table is long and narrow.
Verb
B1
action
2
make or become smaller in width/scope
To make something smaller in size or range; to become smaller.
Usage pattern:
to narrow [something] down to [options/choices]
Common mistake:
Learners may forget that 'narrow down' is common when talking about reducing options, and just say 'narrow' instead.
Synonyms
tighten (Can mean making something more limited or strict, not just physically smaller.)
|
reduce (A general term for making something less in amount, size, or scope.)
Antonyms
widen (To make something larger in width or scope.)
|
broaden (To increase the range, scope, or width of something.)
Collocations
narrow down
|narrow gap
|narrow focus
Themes
change
|decision making
|core_vocabulary
|space
Examples
- The path narrows as you go up the hill.
- We need to narrow the list of candidates to three.
- The river narrows before it reaches the falls.
Learner examples
- The road will narrow ahead.
- We narrow the choices to two.
- The river narrows here.
adjective
B2
property
3
limited in interests/views
Not willing to accept different ideas or ways; not open-minded.
Usage pattern:
a narrow [mind/view/perspective]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with physical narrowness. Context about ideas or attitudes is key.
Synonyms
close-minded (Directly emphasizes refusal to consider different ideas.)
|
limited (General term for having a small range of ability, knowledge, or openness.)
Antonyms
open-minded (Willing to consider new and different ideas.)
|
broad-minded (Tolerant and willing to accept many different opinions or behaviors.)
Collocations
narrow view
|narrow mind
|narrow perspective
Themes
personality
|social
|core_vocabulary
|education
Examples
- He has a narrow view of what success means.
- Her thinking is too narrow for this creative project.
- We should avoid being narrow in our judgments.
Learner examples
- He has a narrow mind.
- She is narrow about new ideas.
- Do not be narrow when you listen.
Noun
C1
entity
4
small strip of land/water
A thin piece of land or water between bigger areas.
Synonyms
strait (Specifically refers to a narrow passage of water connecting two seas or large areas of water.)
Collocations
sea narrow
Themes
geography
|nature
|space
|travel
Examples
- Ships passed through the narrow between the two islands.
- They camped on a narrow of land by the lake.
Learner examples
- We walk across the narrow between lakes.
- The boat goes through the narrow.
Grammar
Dictionary form
narrow
IPA
GB/nˈɛɹoʊ/
US/nˈɛɹoʊ/
Syllables & stress
nar - row (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (nar)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: narrow
- Comparative: narrower
- Superlative: narrowest
Verb
- Base: narrow
- 3rd Person Singular: narrows
- Present Participle: narrowing
- Past: narrowed
Word family
Expressions
a narrow escape
1/ə nˈɛɹoʊ ɪskˈeɪp/
fixed phrase
almost avoiding danger/harm
When someone almost has an accident or bad thing happen but avoids it just in time.
Examples
- It was a narrow escape when the tree fell just behind us.
- She had a narrow escape from injury in the crash.
narrow down
1/nˈɛɹoʊ dˈaʊn/
phrasal verb
reduce number of choices
To make a list or group smaller by removing things that are not needed.
Examples
- We need to narrow down our options before deciding.
- The police narrowed down the list of suspects to two men.
narrow margin
1/nˈɛɹoʊ mˈɑɹd͡ʒən/
fixed phrase
very small difference in result/amount
A result that is only just different from another result; not by much.
Examples
- They won by a narrow margin of two votes.
- The team lost by a narrow margin.