ideological
AmericanOther Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ideological
First recorded in 1855–60; ideolog(y) + -ic + -al 1 ( def. )
Explanation
You can use the word ideological to describe shared ideas or beliefs, and the word breaks down to ideo- (not "idea," but close) and -logical. An ideological stand for equal rights made Rosa Parks stay in her seat at the front of the bus. Ideological is an adjective that describes political, cultural, or religious beliefs. An ideology is a body of ideas, and those who agree with the main idea of something take an ideological stand to support it. Unlimited freedom is a strong ideological belief in countries like the United States, and communism was once the ideological foundation in parts of Europe. Some follow ideological ideals that are logical, while others take stands that seem, well, idiotic or illogical, like racism.
Vocabulary lists containing ideological
100 SAT Words Beginning with "I"
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Intermediate, List 1
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This Week in Words: September 14–20, 2019
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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.
Some candidate narratives also push back on the article’s suggestion that voters have little appetite for ideological confrontation.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
Many in Europe would prefer the former, viewing him as more pragmatic and less ideological.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
I just felt there was this huge ideological movement that wasn’t being covered on a weekly basis at all.
From Slate • May 7, 2026
According to Lopes, Washington has adopted a more pragmatic and less ideological approach to the bilateral relationship since September - when the two presidents met at the UN General Assembly in New York .
From BBC • May 7, 2026
This will give you some idea of the ideological subtleties which we have to deal with today.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
