indoctrinate

verb

in·​doc·​tri·​nate in-ˈdäk-trə-ˌnāt 

indoctrinated; indoctrinating

transitive verb

1

: to imbue with a usually partisan or sectarian opinion, point of view, or principle

2

: to instruct especially in fundamentals or rudiments : teach

indoctrination

(ˌ)in-ˌdäk-trə-ˈnā-shən 

noun

indoctrinator

in-ˈdäk-trə-ˌnā-tər 

noun

Did you know?

Indoctrinate means "brainwash" to many people, but its meaning isn't always so negative. When the verb first appeared in English in the 17th century, it simply meant "to teach"—a meaning linked closely to its source, the Latin verb docēre, which also means "to teach." (Other offspring of docēre include docile, doctor, document, and, of course, doctrine). By the 19th century, indoctrinate was being used in the sense of teaching someone to fully accept only the ideas, opinions, and beliefs of a particular group.

Synonyms

• educate
• instruct
• lesson
• school
• teach
• train
• tutor

Examples of indoctrinate in a Sentence

The goal should be to teach politics, rather than to indoctrinate students in a narrow set of political beliefs.

indoctrinated children in proper safety procedures

Recent Examples on the Web

This follow-up to the 2016 Moana continues the Disney brand’s dedication to DIE (Diversity Inclusion Equity), indoctrinating young movie-watchers to gender and race obsession. —Armond White, National Review, 4 Dec. 2024

Nowhere has this leftward shift been more apparent than at the United States Air Force Academy and its newfound obsession with indoctrinating cadets in woke, anti-American ideology. —Patrick Bobko, National Review, 24 Nov. 2024

As an undergrad, I was indoctrinated into auteur cinema by many hardcore cinephile friends. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2024

She was simply being indoctrinated into a ritual within the Indiana Fever. —Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably from Middle English endoctrinen, from Anglo-French endoctriner, from en- + doctrine doctrine

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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Kids Definition

indoctrinate

verb

in·​doc·​tri·​nate in-ˈdäk-trə-ˌnāt 

indoctrinated; indoctrinating

1

: instruct sense 1, teach

2

: to teach the ideas, opinions, or beliefs of a particular group

indoctrination

(ˌ)in-ˌdäk-trə-ˈnā-shən 

noun

indoctrinator

in-ˈdäk-trə-ˌnāt-ər 

noun