ideology
noun
ˌi-dē-ˈä-
Did you know?
Ideology has been in use in English since the end of the 18th century and is one of the few words whose coiner we can identify. The French writer A. L. C. Destutt de Tracy proposed it as a term to designate the “science of ideas,” and in that sense the word was quickly borrowed into English. Though ideology originated as a serious philosophical term, within a few decades it took on connotations of impracticality thanks to Napoleon, who used it in a derisive manner. Such connotations are still present in some contexts, but the word today is largely used neutrally, most often to refer to a systematic body of concepts, and especially to the set of ideas and beliefs held by a particular group or political party.
Examples of ideology in a Sentence
Frank Lavin, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
The idea that no one was born inherently superior, that status wasn’t tied to birth but to citizenship and shared rights, was a radical break in human history and a decisive rejection of Old World European ideology.
—Jared Nordlund, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 July 2025
Aside from the most ardent Bolsonaro loyalists, Brazilians—regardless of ideology—don't take kindly to foreign leaders telling them how to run their democracy.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Within hours of his win however, Mamdani became the target of coordinated online attacks that framed his faith, ideology, and heritage as threats to public life, according to the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH).
—Juwayriah Wright, Time, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ideology
Cite this Entry
“Ideology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ideology. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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ideology
noun
ˌid-
Medical Definition
ideology
noun
ˌid-
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