# indoctrinated

/ˌɪnˈdɑktɹəˌneɪtɪd/ (US) · /ɪndˈɒktɹɪnˌeɪtɪd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/indoctrinated
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

taught to accept certain ideas without questioning them, usually because you have only heard one side.

For teachers: having been taught to accept a set of beliefs uncritically, usually through one-sided or biased instruction. Often implies a loss of independent judgment about those beliefs.

## Examples

- He holds deeply indoctrinated views about history.
- At the camp, teenagers were indoctrinated with daily lectures that allowed no questions or debate.
- Raised in a closed community and indoctrinated from childhood, she struggled later to separate loyalty to her family from beliefs she had never chosen herself.

## Usage notes

- Typically used predicatively after 'be' or attributively before a noun; often modified by 'deeply', 'heavily', or 'thoroughly'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.