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
Elissa Nadworny, NPR, 10 June 2025
The climate on campus has long been politically coercive and restrictive of dissent, with faculty and the administration abusing their position of authority over the students in order to indoctrinate them and limit their access to the full spectrum of contending ideas.
—The Editors, National Review, 25 Mar. 2025
None of this is about rescuing students who feel intimidated and indoctrinated.
—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
See All Example Sentences for indoctrinate
Cite this Entry
“Indoctrinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indoctrinate. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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indoctrinate
verb
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