Standard Lemma guide

indoctrinate

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH0 N D AA1 K T R AH0 N EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To teach (a person) with a biased, one-sided or uncritical ideology; to brainwash.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To teach and instill (something, to a person) in a biased, one-sided way.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To teach; to instruct.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

teach doctrines to; teach uncritically

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The Moonies indoctrinate their disciples

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: teach, learn, instruct

Narrower terms: revolutionize, revolutionise, inspire, brainwash

History

Etymology

From in- + doctrine + -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare French endoctriner.

Across languages

Translations

24 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: adoctrinar — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Chinese Mandarin: 向......灌輸 /向......灌输 (xiàng... guànshū) — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Chinese Mandarin: 洗腦 /洗脑 (to brainwash) — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Czech: indoktrinovat — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Danish: indoktrinere — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Dutch: indoctrineren — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Finnish: indoktrinoida — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Finnish: aivopestä — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • French: endoctriner — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Galician: adoutrinar — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • German: indoktrinieren — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Greek: δογματίζω (dogmatízo) — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Italian: addottrinare — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Latin: addoctrino — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Latin: indoctrino — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Polish: indoktrynować — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Portuguese: doutrinar — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Portuguese: endoutrinar — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Romanian: îndoctrina — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Spanish: adoctrinar — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Spanish: indoctrinar — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Spanish: doctrinar — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Swedish: indoktrinera — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology
  • Welsh: egwyddori — teach with a biased or one-sided ideology