ideology
Americannoun
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ideologies
plural
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the body of doctrine, myth, belief, etc., that guides an individual, social movement, institution, class, or large group.
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such a body of doctrine, myth, etc., with reference to some political and social plan, as that of fascism, along with the devices for putting it into operation.
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Philosophy.
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the study of the nature and origin of ideas.
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a system that derives ideas exclusively from sensation.
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theorizing of a visionary or impractical nature.
noun
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a body of ideas that reflects the beliefs and interests of a nation, political system, etc and underlies political action
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philosophy sociol the set of beliefs by which a group or society orders reality so as to render it intelligible
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speculation that is imaginary or visionary
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the study of the nature and origin of ideas
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of ideology
Explanation
An ideology is a set of opinions or beliefs of a group or an individual. Very often ideology refers to a set of political beliefs or a set of ideas that characterize a particular culture. Capitalism, communism, socialism, and Marxism are ideologies. But not all -ism words are. Think: cronyism (a system of graft whereby friends unfairly help each other make money.) Our English noun is from French idéologie. The suffix –logy, used with many English words describing theories or doctrines, is from Greek logos "word, reason, speech, account."
Vocabulary lists containing ideology
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Power Suffix: -ology
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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:
The online investigation team at Bellingcat, who studied the group back in 2022, called it then a "vocal and vile online booster" of the Russian invasion, with a clear extremist far-right ideology.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Although ideology "matters for symbolic encounters," it is "not that relevant" in practice, according to Oliver Stuenkel, an international relations professor at the FGV.
From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2026
Her message aims to appeal to voters’ interests and not just their ideology, a rejection of the idea that she’s someone who doesn’t belong in this country.
From Salon ● Oct. 21, 2026
It wasn’t ideology that made me want to claw the stubble off my own face.
From Slate ● Oct. 21, 2026
By treating us with respect, Schindler was resisting the Nazi racist ideology that constructed a hierarchy of humanity in which Jews were at the very bottom.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
Krakow's Main Market Square remained sealed off Sunday as mourners brought candles in tribute to six people killed by a gunman who authorities said was "fascinated by far-right ideologies".
From Barron's ● Nov. 8, 2026
Cdr Flanagan said the police investigation found Shah was being drawn into extremist material and ideologies "when he was only 13 or 14 years old".
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
One key objection was the mature tone of the narrative, in which the child protagonist is directly confronted and endangered by the evils derived from fascist ideologies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Some push their own ideologies, encourage patients toward a path that worked for them, and even judge family members they have never met.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
The system functioned relatively automatically, and the prevailing system of racial meanings, identities, and ideologies already seemed natural.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
