indoctrinate

[ in-dok-truh-neyt ]

verb (used with object)

, in·doc·tri·nat·ed, in·doc·tri·nat·ing.

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

Derived Forms

• inˈdoctriˌnator, noun
• inˌdoctriˈnation, noun

Other Words From

• in·doc·tri·na·tion [in-dok-tr, uh, -, ney, -sh, uh, n], noun
• in·doc·tri·na·tor noun
• re·in·doc·tri·nate verb (used with object) reindoctrinated reindoctrinating

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

As the noble youth of the burgeoning realm, they were indoctrinated and inducted into the loyalty-based cult of the king.

From Realm of History

For the right, “Loudoun” became a buzzword for out-of-control bureaucrats indoctrinating kids with extreme “woke” ideas.

From TIme

This behind-the-scenes effort at indoctrinating students into their states’ mythologies is now pushing into public view, with DeSantis crowing about his fight to shape young minds.

From TIme

If I was trying to indoctrinate somebody’s kids, this is how I would do it.

From Time

Instead he would be deemed an extremist, aggressive and liable to indoctrinate his peers.

From Time

They want to indoctrinate impressionable young minds by placing these gay characters on pedestals in a positive light.

From The Daily Beast

He then proceeded to rant about “liberal college professors” trying to “indoctrinate” students.

From The Daily Beast

Santorum also complains about “some liberal college professor … trying to indoctrinate” students.

From The Daily Beast

I also tried through my own newspaper to indoctrinate the people, but my mind grew more and more embarrassed.

From Project Gutenberg

Better to save one sinner from an obvious vice that is destroying him, than to indoctrinate ten thousand saints.

From Project Gutenberg

It is not at all the idea to carry over one of our professors each year and indoctrinate him with the true culture at its source.

From Project Gutenberg

Located in Bucharest, both of these institutions are designed to train and indoctrinate key bureaucratic personnel.

From Project Gutenberg

She begged him to indoctrinate his successor, Mr. Edward Stanhope.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• imbue
• inculcate
• instill