Meaning & use
ideology
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
A set of beliefs and ideas, often about politics or society, that guide how a group acts.
Grammar: Countable for a particular system: a political ideology.
Patterns
- the ideology of something
The party's ideology emphasizes free markets.
Different ideologies compete in elections.
noununcountabledisapproving
A fixed way of thinking that a person follows without questioning.
Grammar: Often with a negative tone.
He let ideology cloud his judgment.
Critics accused the minister of acting on ideology, not evidence.
Word forms
| plural | ideologies |
|---|
Common combinations
- political ideology
- Her political ideology is liberal.
- dominant ideology
- The dominant ideology shaped schools.
- driven by ideology
- The policy was driven by ideology.
- extremist ideology
- The group follows an extremist ideology.
Synonyms and how they differ
- doctrine
- Doctrine is a set of official teachings, especially religious.
- belief system
- Belief system is plainer and less political.
- philosophy
- Philosophy is broader and more reflective.
Opposites
Word family
- ideological adjective
- relating to an ideology
- ideologue noun
- a person rigidly attached to an ideology
- ideologically adverb
- in terms of ideology
Commonly confused: ideology or idea?
ideology vs idea
An idea is a single thought; an ideology is a system of beliefs.
Practice
The two parties split because of a basic difference in ___.
Choose one answer.
Ideology means a system of political beliefs. An ideal is a single standard.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ideology”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.