ideology

noun

ide·​ol·​o·​gy ˌī-dē-ˈä-lə-jē How to pronounce ideology (audio) ˌi-dē-ˈä- How to pronounce ideology (audio)
plural ideologies
1
a
: a manner or the content of thinking characteristic of an individual, group, or culture
b
: the integrated assertions, theories and aims that constitute a sociopolitical program
c
: a systematic body of concepts especially about human life or culture
2
: visionary theorizing
ideologist noun

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

the ideology of a totalitarian society He says that the election is not about ideology.
Recent Examples on the Web Although America’s public-school wars are often depicted as fights over race and gender ideology, there are also a lot of parents who think their local schools just aren’t very good. Emma Green, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 Jannings, a Nazi supporter, later returned to Germany to further his acting career, making films that supported Nazi ideologies. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 10 Mar. 2024 Their perspective is tied to a conservative political ideology that emphasizes individual determination, rather than structural elements, as shaping people’s lives. Emma Bubola, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Critics worry that the populist Chega party is giving new life to the ideology of Portugal’s bygone dictatorship. Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Mar. 2024 Sasaki Nobutsuna, a scholar of Japanese classics with strong ties to the imperial court, was a supporter of the empire’s nationalistic ideology. Małgorzata (gosia) K. Citko-Duplantis, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2024 Partisan divisions Early exit polls showed stark divisions depending on ideology, education and age. David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024 New members could flip the board’s ideology — from one that wants to rein in charter schools to one that supports these independent and mostly nonunion public schools. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Decades after the fall of the Soviet Union, Cold War ideology continues to form Western perceptions of the Eastern Bloc as a backward region, uniformly totalitarian, where everybody was either an apparatchik or a dissident. Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ideology.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French idéologie, from idéo- ideo- + -logie -logy

First Known Use

1813, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of ideology was in 1813

Dictionary Entries Near ideology

Cite this Entry

“Ideology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ideology. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ideology

noun
ide·​ol·​o·​gy ˌīd-ē-ˈäl-ə-jē How to pronounce ideology (audio) ˌid- How to pronounce ideology (audio)
plural ideologies
: ideas characteristic of a person, group, or political party
ideologi cal
-ē-ə-ˈläj-i-kəl
adjective
ideologically
-i-k(ə-)lē
adverb
ideologist noun

Medical Definition

ideology

noun
ide·​ol·​o·​gy ˌīd-ē-ˈäl-ə-jē How to pronounce ideology (audio) ˌid- How to pronounce ideology (audio)
variants also idealogy
plural ideologies
1
: a systematic body of concepts especially about human life or culture
2
: a manner or the content of thinking characteristic of an individual, group, or culture
ideological adjective
also idealogical
ideologically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on ideology

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