indoctrinate

[in-dok-truh-neyt]

verb (used with object)

indoctrinated, indoctrinating 

1. to instruct in a doctrine, principle, ideology, etc., especially to imbue with a specific partisan or biased belief or point of view.

   Synonyms: propagandize, brainwash

2. to teach or inculcate.

3. to imbue with learning.

indoctrinate

/ ɪnˈdɒktrɪˌneɪt /

verb

1. to teach (a person or group of people) systematically to accept doctrines, esp uncritically

2. rare,  to impart learning to; instruct

Other Word Forms

• indoctrinator noun
• indoctrination noun
• reindoctrinate verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of indoctrinate¹

First recorded in 1620–30; in- ² + Medieval Latin doctrīnātus, past participle of doctrīnāre “to teach”; doctrine, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Day after day, they heard him on the radio and were indoctrinated into the hard-right culture war mentality that still pervades the Republican Party.

From Salon

Kirk is a co-founder of Turning Point USA, an organization dedicated to indoctrinating high school and college-age students in conservative ideology.

From Salon

“Big religion is where kids are getting indoctrinated,” Welch explained.

From Salon

“I don’t accept the premise that our classrooms have been indoctrinating or biased in a way that is inappropriate in any way.”

From Salon

He said he felt compelled to shout facts about Trump at the guardsmen because he feared the young men have been “indoctrinated against their own citizens.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• imbue 
• inculcate 
• instill