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Meaning & use

narrowly defined

adjective·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˌnærəʊli dɪˈfaɪnd/
US/ˌnæroʊli dɪˈfaɪnd/

Meaning

  1. adjectivebefore a noun

    Described or limited in a very exact and restricted way, covering only a small group.

    Grammar: Used before nouns: a narrowly defined category; can also follow linking verbs: the term is narrowly defined.

    Patterns

    • narrowly defined term
    • narrowly defined category
    • be narrowly defined

    The law uses a narrowly defined term that excludes most small businesses.

    Success should not be narrowly defined as making a lot of money.

Common combinations

narrowly defined criteria
Only a few applicants met the narrowly defined criteria.
narrowly defined role
Her role was narrowly defined, so she had little freedom to make decisions.
too narrowly defined
The problem was too narrowly defined to allow creative solutions.

Synonyms and how they differ

restricted
Similar but more general; 'narrowly defined' specifically refers to how something is described or specified.
specific
Focuses on exactness rather than limitation; 'narrowly defined' stresses that the scope is small.
limited
Emphasizes small size or amount; 'narrowly defined' emphasizes the precision of the definition.

Opposites

broadly definedloosely defined

Word family

narrow adjective
Small in width or scope.
narrowly adverb
In a narrow way; by a small amount.
define verb
To explain the exact meaning of something.

Commonly confused: narrowly defined or broadly defined?

narrowly defined vs broadly defined

The opposite: covering a wide range. 'Narrowly defined' means covering only a small, specific range.

Practice

The scholarship is narrowly defined, ___ only students who study ancient languages.

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