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
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 30 May 2025
Opponents of the bill had argued that placing the Ten Commandments in public school rooms amounted to a breach in the separation of church and state and would indoctrinate students.
—The Hill, 25 May 2025
For Trump’s critics, the suggestion that zoos might be indoctrinating visitors was absurd.
—John M. Kinder, The Conversation, 1 May 2025
The staff members in green vests did not appear to be indoctrinating anyone.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 6 Apr. 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 13 Jun. 2025.
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indoctrinate
verb
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