Word
dogmatic
Phoneticsdog·mat·ic, stress on the second syllable
US/dɑɡˈmætɪk/
UK/dɒɡmˈætɪk/
Definition
adj. describing someone who believes their own ideas are always right and refuses to listen to other opinions. In medicine, it can also describe a treatment that is used without enough proof.
adj. characterised by an inflexible adherence to a set of beliefs or principles, often without room for doubt or alternative views. In a medical context, it refers to the use of a treatment based on tradition or authority rather than on scientific evidence.
Examples
“He was too dogmatic to accept any new ideas.”
“The doctor was criticized for his dogmatic approach to the patient's care, ignoring the latest research on the condition.”
“While some argue that a certain level of dogmatism is necessary for effective leadership, in the field of medicine, such rigidity can lead to the rejection of life-saving innovations.”
Examples
simple
“He was too dogmatic to accept any new ideas.”
contextual
“The doctor was criticized for his dogmatic approach to the patient's care, ignoring the latest research on the condition.”
complex
“While some argue that a certain level of dogmatism is necessary for effective leadership, in the field of medicine, such rigidity can lead to the rejection of life-saving innovations.”
Real-World Examples
“At the same time, you can start building dogmatic ideas, [like,] ‘We’re better than other people’.” “Pulses such as lentils contain around 25% protein but also 25% carbohydrate – which makes them hard to categorise within the dogmatic categories of modern nutrition.” “The atheist revival movement of Dawkins and Hitchens and Dennett is for many people just too narrow and dogmatic.” Etymology
From Middle French dogmatique and its etymon, Late Latin dogmaticus, from Hellenistic Ancient Greek δογματικός (dogmatikós, “didactic”), from δόγμα (dógma, “dogma”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/dogmatic