ENGLISH
REFERENCE

dogmatic

adj.
C1 Advanced US //dɑɡˈmætɪk// UK //dɒɡmˈætɪk// dog·mat·ic

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.


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.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle French dogmatique and its etymon, Late Latin dogmaticus, from Hellenistic Ancient Greek δογματικός (dogmatikós, “didactic”), from δόγμα (dógma, “dogma”).

© 2026 English Reference