indoctrinate
verb
in·doc·tri·nate
in-ˈdäk-trə-ˌnāt
indoctrinated; indoctrinating
1
disapproving
: to imbue with a usually partisan or sectarian opinion, point of view, or principle
… a dictator who has spent 40 years indoctrinating his people.—Jonathan Alter
2
: to instruct especially in fundamentals or rudiments : teach
New instructors are … indoctrinated with technical information …—Ken Castle
Did you know?
Indoctrinate means "brainwash" in most contexts today, but its meaning wasn'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.
Cite this Entry
“Indoctrinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indoctrinate. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.
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