doublethink
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of doublethink
double + think 1; coined by George Orwell in his novel 1984 (1949)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Doublethink is a core theme in George Orwell’s “1984”—believing two contradictory ideas at the same time.
From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026
Doublethink Lab, which has been tracking disinformation attempts in real time, has pointed out the Chinese media are "regularly quoting disinformation and conspiracy theories from Russian sources".
From BBC • Mar. 11, 2022
Doublethink destroyed the mind and crushed the soul, and yet it was essential for survival.
From The New Yorker • Jun. 10, 2018
Doublethink, a key notion in the Newspeak vocabulary that Orwell invented for “1984,” spirals into quadruplethink and beyond in these productions.
From New York Times • Jul. 9, 2014
Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.
From "1984" by George Orwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
