indoctrinate
verb
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.
Examples of indoctrinate in a Sentence
Emma Green, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
What June is fighting for in this final season is what she’s been fighting for ever since the first scene of the series, when her oldest daughter Hannah (Jordana Blake) was taken from her and indoctrinated into Gilead life.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2025
From there, these young people are indoctrinated with harmful misogynistic and anti-feminist messages.
—Samantha Mann, Parents, 8 Apr. 2025
We've been indoctrinated to believe that real collaboration happens when people gather synchronously, whether physically or virtually.
—Keith Ferrazzi, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for indoctrinate
Cite this Entry
“Indoctrinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indoctrinate. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
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indoctrinate
verb
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