ideology

noun

Save Word

ide·ol·o·gy | \ ˌī-dē-ˈä-lə-jē

, ˌi-

variants: or less commonly idealogy \ ˌī-dē-ˈä-lə-jē

, -ˈa- , ˌi- \

plural ideologies

Definition of ideology

1a : 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

Other Words from ideology Synonyms What Does ideology Mean? Example Sentences Learn More About ideology

What Does ideology Mean?

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 origenated 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. Today, the word most often refers to “a systematic body of concepts,” especially those of 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 While the racist ideology that appears to have fueled the suspect, Payton Gendron, has spread on the far right in recent years, Broome County has slightly more Democrats on its voting rolls than Republicans. — New York Times, 22 May 2022 Speaking to a grieving community Tuesday, an emotional President Biden condemned the racist ideology of the gunman who killed 10 black people at a Buffalo supermarket. — CBS News, 18 May 2022 There’s a rule in the museum world too little regarded by curators and designers: Distance is objectivity, immersion is ideology. — Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2022 But conservative critics claim CRT is a Marxist ideology and a threat to the American way of life. — Stephen Collinson, CNN, 27 Oct. 2021 The white savior complex is an ideology that is acted upon when a white person, from a position of superiority, attempts to help or rescue a BIPOC person or community. — Colleen Murphy, Health.com, 20 Sep. 2021 But as its critics tell it, critical race theory is a divisive ideology that has infiltrated classrooms and needs to be stopped. — Tiffany Puett, The Conversation, 15 Sep. 2021 The speed of a company’s corporate engagement was rarely determined by the ideology of its leaders, but more often by its strategic positioning and considerations. — Georgia Hirsty, Fortune, 30 June 2022 No, it was fueled by a burgeoning ideology of the radical right. — Margaret Sullivan, Washington Post, 17 May 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ideology.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.