Indoctrination is the act of teaching or inculcating a system of beliefs or opinions, often in a biased or uncritical way. It implies shaping someone’s viewpoints to align with a particular doctrine, frequently through persistent instruction, authority, or persuasion. The term carries a strong connotation of influence over free thinking and plural viewpoints.
"The school faced controversy after allegations of indoctrination rather than objective teaching."
"Parents worried about indoctrination when the curriculum emphasized a specific political ideology."
"The workshop aimed to uncover how media can function as a tool for indoctrination."
"Coworkers accused the manager of indoctrination, pushing a single method without openness to alternatives."
Indoctrination comes from the Latin prefix in- (into) and docere (to teach). The word blends with the Medieval Latin indoctrinare, meaning to teach or instruct into a doctrine. The English form Indoctrination emerged in the 16th–18th centuries, expanding to include sense of imposing a particular belief system. Early uses often referred to religious or political instruction that aimed to align a learner’s beliefs with a given doctrine. Over time, in modern discourse, indoctrination has acquired pejorative nuance, highlighting coercive, dogmatic, or uncritical instruction that discourages doubt or alternative viewpoints. The word is commonly associated with institutions or movements that try to shape worldview through repeated, authoritative messaging, sometimes using rhetoric, ritual, and authority figures to normalize a specific ideational frame. Contemporary usage spans education, media, and political contexts, often with critical connotations about balance, critical thinking, and pluralism.
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Words that rhyme with "Indoctrination"
-ion sounds
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Pronounce as inˌɪn.dəˌktrɪˈneɪ.ʃən with stress on the third syllable in-na-tion: in-dow-ctray-ney-shun. In careful speech, place primary stress on the fourth syllable: indoctrina-tion. US: /ˌɪn.dəˌtrɪˈneɪ.ʃən/; UK: /ˌɪn.dəˌktrəˈneɪ.ʃən/; AU: /ˌɪn.dəˌkɹoʊ.neɪˈʃən/ depending on speaker. Mouth positions: start with a light schwa, then a denti-al stop cluster /d/ or /t/ depending on accent, then a soft /tr/ or /trə/ sequence; final /ʃən/ is a common suffix cluster. Listen on Pronounce or Forvo to hear native examples.
Common errors include misplacing the primary stress too early or too late, and mispronouncing the /t/ + /r/ cluster as a simple /dr/ blend. Another frequent mistake is reducing the /ɪ/ in the first syllable to a stronger /iː/ or mispronouncing the final /ʃən/ as /ʃn/. Correct these by marking the four-syllable rhythm: in-doh-ctrə-ney-shən, with clear /t/ and /r/ articulation and a distinct /neɪ/ before the final /ʃən/. Practice with minimal pairs and slow repetition to solidify the pattern.
In US English, expect /ˌɪn.dəˌtrɪˈneɪ.ʃən/ with rhotacized /ɹ/ and a clearer /ɪ/ in the second syllable and a strong /neɪ/. UK English often shifts to /ˌɪn.dəˌktrəˈneɪ.ʃən/ with reduced rhotics and a slightly softer /tr/ transition. Australian tends to be non-rhotic like UK, with vowel quality closer to /ə/ in unstressed syllables and a slightly broader /ɪ/ in the first vowel. All share the /neɪ.ʃən/ ending, but the mid vowels and rhoticity subtly change the overall timbre.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /d/ + /tr/ after the initial syllable and the unstressed syllables that mask the /ɪ/ and /eɪ/ vowels. The sequence /ɪn.dəˌtrɪˈneɪ.ʃən/ requires precise timing: quick but distinct /d/ and /tr/, a clear long /eɪ/ before the final /ʃən/. Mastery comes from practicing the four-syllable rhythm, isolating the /tr/ blend, and keeping the final /ʃən/ crisp without adding extra vowels.
Does the word spell out where emphasis lands in different pronunciations? Yes. In most varieties, the core stress shifts slightly depending on speaker: primary stress tends to be near the third syllable in the Dutch-leaning rhythm of some speakers or the fourth syllable in others. Practicing with context sentences helps you feel natural placement and helps you avoid over-emphasizing the wrong syllable.
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