doublethink

American  

[duhb-uhl-thingk] / ˈdʌb əlˌθɪŋk /

noun

1. the acceptance of two contradictory ideas or beliefs at the same time.

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doublethink British  

/ ˈdʌbəlˌθɪŋk /

noun

1. deliberate, perverse, or unconscious acceptance or promulgation of conflicting facts, principles, etc

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Etymology

Origin of doublethink

double + think ¹; coined by George Orwell in his novel 1984 (1949)

Example Sentences

For many, including perhaps Orwell himself, the totalitarian world of Big Brother and doublethink was not merely the exotic trajectory of Stalinist Russia but the fate of imperial policing everywhere, including Britain.

From Slate • Jun. 30, 2020

From Orwell’s evocation of the totalitarian superstate of Oceania, new words entered the language: doublethink, thoughtcrime, newspeak and Big Brother.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 3, 2019

To understand how and why the slogan came to be voted on by the Senate, you need first to engage with the malicious, trolling doublethink that characterises the worst parts of the internet.

From The Guardian • Oct. 15, 2018

It wasn't hard to tell where she learned that doublethink can be incredibly effective.

From Salon • Sep. 1, 2018

His mind slid away into the labyrinthine world of doublethink.

From "1984" by George Orwell