as in dogmatic
given to or marked by the forceful expression of strongly held opinions
a doctrinaire conservative, the columnist takes special delight in baiting liberals
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in purist
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in theorist
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of doctrinaire
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2024
This doctrinaire and yet thoroughly generic conception of consciousness is, in itself, a bit depressing.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 21 June 2024
Danielle Wallace, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2025
The leadership of the Roman Catholic Church now faces a critical decision: choose a new pope who will follow his welcoming and global approach, or restore the more doctrinaire path of his predecessors.
—Justin Porter, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for doctrinaire
Adjective
Back when Republicans were less doctrinaire, few objected to Ronald Reagan’s legalization through legislation on the status of otherwise law-abiding immigrants who crossed illegally or overstayed.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2024
This doctrinaire and yet thoroughly generic conception of consciousness is, in itself, a bit depressing.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 21 June 2024
Noun
Cardinal Robert Sarah – championed by conservatives as reflecting the doctrinaire and liturgically minded papacies of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI – is among those being considered to replace Pope Francis.
—Danielle Wallace, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2025
The leadership of the Roman Catholic Church now faces a critical decision: choose a new pope who will follow his welcoming and global approach, or restore the more doctrinaire path of his predecessors.
—Justin Porter, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for doctrinaire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doctrinaire
Adjective
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Ruben Amorim’s dogmatic approach must change Whatever credit Amorim had in the bank has been rapidly used up and his dogmatic devotion to his preferred 3-4-3 formation is starting to grate on many.—
Dan Cancian,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Whether through dogmatic stubbornness or sheer conviction, no manager in the Premier League was more wedded to a single setup than Amorim last season.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Yet even when considering all the superyacht trappings, purists like Coles remain unconvinced.—
Chrissie McClatchie,
Robb Report,
27 Sep. 2025
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But Anderson knows that, amid clashing political extremes, racial and ideological purists can make surprising, and treacherous, bedfellows.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The series borrows from and advances the term psychogeography, coined in 1955 by French Marxist theorist, writer, filmmaker, and revolutionary Guy Debord to describe the effect that geographical environments have on the emotions and behavior of individuals.—
Natasha Gural,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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Political theorist Antonio Gramsci (1891–1937), an Italian anti-fascist journalist, organizer, and imprisoned political dissident, offered a conception of society and described the possibilities for changing social orders.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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For years, scientists have focused on finding ways to neutralize or eliminate this stubborn waste.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Sep. 2025
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That ever-persistent chasm that has existed between white students and those of color in public schools has remained stubborn in Michigan, where more than 18% of Michigan's public school students are Black.—
Lily Altavena,
Freep.com,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Sly had too generous a spirit to be a dogmatist.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2025
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Although not a dogmatist, Xi cares deeply about ideology and has even blamed the collapse of the Soviet Union in part on Moscow’s failure to ensure that people took Marxism-Leninism seriously.—
Joseph Torigian,
Foreign Affairs,
24 June 2024
Noun
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Dallas Willard was an influential evangelical thinker and philosophy professor at the University of Southern California, who died in 2013.—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
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Since then, Abd El-Fattah became a leading voice and outspoken thinker during the 2011 Arab Spring in Egypt that brought down Mubarak’s government.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Those mourning him remember a man who could be opinionated and controversial, from his criticism of DEI to his remarks on race and Civil Rights leaders.—
Beatrice Peterson,
ABC News,
24 Sep. 2025
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Eleanor is opinionated, lonely, frustrated, and scared, giving Squibb a rich palette from which to paint.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Our mother had been a stickler for our family lunches every Sunday.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
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As carry-on only travelers, Ryan and I are sticklers about efficient packing.—
Kristine Thomason,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Doctrinaire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doctrinaire. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
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