dogmatic

American  

[dawg-mat-ik, dog-] / dɔgˈmæt ɪk, dɒg- /

Also dogmatical

adjective

1. relating to or of the nature of a dogma or dogmas or any strong set of principles concerning faith, morals, etc., as those laid down by a church; doctrinal.

   We hear dogmatic arguments from both sides of the political spectrum.

2. asserting opinions in a doctrinaire or arrogant manner; opinionated.

   I refuse to argue with someone so dogmatic that he won't listen to reason.

   Synonyms:

   dictatorial, imperious, arbitrary

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dogmatic British  

/ dɒɡˈmætɪk /

adjective

1. 1. (of a statement, opinion, etc) forcibly asserted as if authoritative and unchallengeable

   2. (of a person) prone to making such statements

2. of, relating to, or constituting dogma

   dogmatic writings

3. based on assumption rather than empirical observation

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Other Word Forms

• antidogmatic
  adjective
• antidogmatical
  adjective
• antidogmatically
  adverb
• dogmatically
  adverb
• dogmaticalness
  noun
• nondogmatic
  adjective
• nondogmatical
  adjective
• nondogmatically
  adverb
• overdogmatic
  adjective
• overdogmatical
  adjective
• overdogmatically
  adverb
• overdogmaticalness
  noun
• undogmatic
  adjective
• undogmatical
  adjective
• undogmatically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of dogmatic

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Late Latin dogmaticus, from Greek dogmatikós, equivalent to dogmat- (stem of dógma dogma ) + -ikos -ic

Explanation

To be dogmatic is to follow a set of rules no matter what. The rules might be religious, philosophical, or made-up, but dogmatic people would never waver in their beliefs so don’t even think of trying to change their minds. Dogmatic goes back to the Greek words dogma, which means basically “what one thinks is true” and dogmatikos, “pertaining to doctrine.” To be dogmatic is to follow a doctrine relating to morals and faith, a set of beliefs that is passed down and never questioned. It also refers to arrogant opinions based on unproven theories or even despite facts. Someone dogmatic might insist that dinosaurs never existed or that women shouldn’t drive. Dogmatic people are usually not very popular.

Example Sentences

Dogmatic visions of the future are rarely reliable, though.

From Slate • Aug. 15, 2022

Dogmatic laws presume a certainty that rarely exists in the realities of clinical medicine.

From Scientific American • May 4, 2022

In “Standing for Reason: The University in a Dogmatic Age,” Sexton offers his “accidentally serpentine path” as evidence of the transformative effects of higher education.

From The New Yorker • Apr. 10, 2019

Dogmatic acceptance of uniformitarianism inhibited the progress of this idea, mainly because of the permanency placed on the continents and their positions.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017

Most observers, however, agreed that, despite some tightening of controls, artistic and intellectual expression in Romania at the end of 1971 was far from returning to the restrictions of the Dogmatic Period of the 1950s.

From Area Handbook for Romania by Bernier, Donald W.

Related Words

• arbitrary
• arrogant
• assertive
• categorical
• emphatic
• fanatical
• intolerant
• obstinate
• stubborn
• unequivocal