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doctrine

noun

ˈdäk-trən How to pronounce doctrine (audio)
Definition of doctrinenext
1
as in theology
a statement or body of statements concerning faith or morals proclaimed by a church the Catholic Church's doctrine on the Eucharist

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in ideology
the basic beliefs or guiding principles of a person or group the doctrine of quantum physicists

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of doctrine Protecting a predator is not theology, and defaming his victim is not church doctrine. — Andrea Lucia, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026 In the northern Chinese area of Yan’an, where Mao and his followers set up a wartime base camp starting in the mid-1930s, leaders turned rectification into doctrine. — Andrew Mertha, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026 Other doctrines like predestination (where some people are chosen for salvation and others are damned) have further broken the world into separate spheres. — Casper Ter Kuile, Vox, 16 Sep. 2026 The doctrine in some instances prohibits Congress from ordering states to administer federal schemes. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for doctrine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doctrine
  1. theology
  2. ideology
  3. principle
  4. philosophy
  5. dogma
Noun
  • In traditional Islamic theology, the church and state are deeply intertwined.
    — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 20 Sep. 2026
  • This is, of course, the conception of fundamentalist theology, which threatens eternal hellfire for anyone who defies its commandments.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of theology
Noun
  • Within ideologies like effective altruism, very earnest and brilliant young minds unironically debate the purpose of putting on sunscreen if AI is only going to kill us all.
    — Rumman Chowdhury, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026
  • This popular ideology utilizes five-minute breaks after 25 minutes of uninterrupted work to increase focus.
    — Cheryl Fenton, Flow Space, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of ideology
Noun
  • By balancing the speed of physical random number generators with the clarity of their signals, the new device principle, in theory, can achieve processing speed yielding high bit-rate with signal clarity and stochasticity.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The looks were presented in pairs to highlight affinities, variations and visual echoes that reflect the designers’ methodology and approach rooted in the principle of duality.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of principle
Noun
  • Some of its members have advocated for open borders, and believe gender is a social construct, both of which have been fodder for inflammatory social media content from those seeking to discredit the philosophy.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Get clear on what your company actually needs next, then find the person with the talent, judgment, track record and leadership philosophy to get you there.
    — Jamie Savage, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of philosophy
Noun
  • It’s not locked into the rigid dogma of New York, Chicago or Detroit.
    — Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 2 Sep. 2026
  • But to me, especially at that time, newly estranged from faith, skeptical of religious dogma, but still steeped in the values and sensibilities of my Christian upbringing, the entire performance felt deeply offensive.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of dogma

Browse Nearby Words

doctrinal
doctrine
doctrines
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Doctrine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doctrine. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on doctrine

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about doctrine

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