propaganda
noun
information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.
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propaganda
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Propaganda
PropagandanounRC Church a congregation responsible for directing the work of the foreign missions and the training of priests for these
propaganda
American
[prop-uh-gan-duh]
/ ˌprɒp əˈgæn də /
noun
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propaganda
plural
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information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.
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the deliberate spreading of such information, rumors, etc.
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the particular doctrines or principles propagated by an organization or movement.
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Roman Catholic Church.
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a committee of cardinals, established in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV, having supervision over foreign missions and the training of priests for these missions.
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a school College of Propaganda established by Pope Urban VIII for the education of priests for foreign missions.
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Archaic. an organization or movement for the spreading of propaganda.
propaganda
1
British
/ ˌprɒpəˈɡændə /
noun
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the organized dissemination of information, allegations, etc, to assist or damage the cause of a government, movement, etc
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such information, allegations, etc
Propaganda
2
British
/ ˌprɒpəˈɡændə /
noun
propaganda
Cultural
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of propaganda
First recorded in 1710–20; from New Latin, short for congregātiō dē propāgandā fidē “congregation for propagating the faith”; propāgandā, ablative singular feminine gerundive of propāgāre; see propagate
Explanation
Propaganda is the spreading of information in support of a cause. It’s not so important whether the information is true or false or if the cause is just or not — it’s all propaganda. The word propaganda is often used in a negative sense, especially for politicians who make false claims to get elected or spread rumors to get their way. In fact, any campaign that is used to persuade can be called propaganda.
Vocabulary lists containing propaganda
Introducing Rhetoric: Using the "Available Means" (Chapter 1)
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The Book Thief
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"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, Part Four
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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.
See Examples For:
He worked with Sergei Kiriyenko, now Putin's powerful first deputy chief of staff, and for many years took part in political propaganda shows on Russian television.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
The answer to the propaganda and lies is to remain aware of it, remain above it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
When Mao Zedong visited Moscow in 1950 to forge the Sino-Soviet alliance, Soviet propaganda posters depicted Stalin as slightly taller than Mao—a carefully calibrated signal of who was the elder brother.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Along with his Unification Church, the Rev. Sun Myung Moon built a political propaganda empire, which had tentacles all over Washington, D.C., at one time.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026
Nazi propaganda had led the German people to believe that the Poles were mistreating ethnic Germans living in Poland.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Propaganda, he argues, could be a tool to regulate and benefit the body politic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
"MTI has been liberated and works freely... Topics and organisations previously banned have returned to our coverage. Propaganda has been pushed out," said an editor.
From Barron's ● May 30, 2026
But on Wednesday morning, the head of the Islamic Propaganda Co-ordination Council of Tehran province told the hardline Tasnim news agency that it had been decided to postpone the ceremony until "a more appropriate time".
From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026
The production company he co-founded, Propaganda Films, had cornered the MTV market, helping launch the careers of such future notables as Spike Jonze and Antoine Fuqua.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 18, 2024
Bernard landed on the roof of Propaganda House and stepped out.
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
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.
