propaganda
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
information that is spread to influence people's opinions, often by hiding the truth or using emotions.
information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view. Uncountable in modern usage.
Simple“The government used propaganda to convince the public that the war was necessary.”
In context“State-controlled media outlets often disseminate propaganda designed to discredit political opponents and consolidate domestic support for the ruling party.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
the organized spreading of religious beliefs or doctrines.
the systematic propagation of a doctrine or information, specifically in a religious context. Historically neutral but now largely superseded by the political sense.
Simple“The church established a new office for the propaganda of their faith abroad.”
In context“The historical study of religious propaganda reveals how seventeenth-century institutions managed the spread of theological doctrine across new colonies.”
UsageIn modern English, this sense is rare outside of historical or ecclesiastical contexts due to the word's negative political connotations.
Synonymsproselytismpropagation
“She argued that the movement cannot be detached from the society in which the students grew up – one shaped by nationalist propaganda and the legacy of the 1990s wars.”
“A spokesman for one of the group's UK campaigners denies being part of any propaganda campaign.”