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
Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
But the sudden thaw in relations with Washington has fueled suspicion among hard-line chavistas that Rodríguez is abandoning the movement’s deeply anti-American ideology.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Crime has no boundaries, and geopolitics or ideologies now impact every individual on the planet.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
An opening gala was held on Monday, during which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the West’s democratic civilization is under threat from a destructive ideology that has infiltrated every country in Western Europe and the United States.
—Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ideology
Cite this Entry
“Ideology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ideology. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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ideology
noun
ˌid-
Medical Definition
ideology
noun
ˌid-
