doctrinaire: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, academic, political discourse, occasionally literary criticism.
Quick answer
What does “doctrinaire” mean?
A person who applies a doctrine or theory rigidly without regard to practical considerations.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who applies a doctrine or theory rigidly without regard to practical considerations; stubbornly adhering to principles regardless of circumstances.
Used as an adjective to describe an attitude, policy, or person that is rigidly devoted to an abstract theory or ideology, often disregarding practical realities, flexibility, or empirical evidence.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Meaning and usage are identical in both variants. No significant lexical or syntactic differences.
Connotations
Identical negative connotation in both.
Frequency
Slightly more common in British political and historical writing, but overall a low-frequency word in both.
Grammar
How to Use “doctrinaire” in a Sentence
[Adj.] (e.g., a doctrinaire approach)[N.] (e.g., He is a doctrinaire.)[Adj. + N.] (e.g., a doctrinaire liberal)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “doctrinaire” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A - 'doctrinaire' is not used as a verb.
American English
- N/A - 'doctrinaire' is not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A - 'doctrinairily' is theoretically possible but virtually never used.
American English
- N/A - 'doctrinairily' is theoretically possible but virtually never used.
adjective
British English
- His doctrinaire opposition to all privatisation made compromise impossible.
- The party's left wing is often criticised for its doctrinaire purity.
American English
- The candidate's doctrinaire views on taxation worried centrist voters.
- We need practical solutions, not more doctrinaire rhetoric.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Used to criticise a management theory applied without considering market realities.
Academic
Common in political science, history, and philosophy to critique rigid theoretical adherence.
Everyday
Very rare. Mostly used by educated speakers in discussions about politics or ideology.
Technical
Used in political theory and historical analysis as a specific categorisation.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “doctrinaire”
- Using it as a synonym for 'educated' or 'well-read'. It is negative.
- Misspelling as 'doctrinare' or 'doctrinary'.
- Using it in positive contexts (e.g., 'He has a wonderfully doctrinaire mind.' is incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is almost exclusively negative, describing someone who applies theory rigidly and impractically.
Yes. As a noun, it means 'a person who is doctrinaire', e.g., 'He was a socialist doctrinaire.'
'Doctrinaire' implies rigid adherence to theory, while 'pragmatic' implies a flexible, practical approach based on what works.
Most common in political science, history, intellectual debates, and journalism commenting on ideology and policy.
A person who applies a doctrine or theory rigidly without regard to practical considerations.
Doctrinaire is usually formal, academic, political discourse, occasionally literary criticism. in register.
Doctrinaire: in British English it is pronounced /ˌdɒk.trɪˈneə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌdɑːk.trɪˈner/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific. The word itself functions almost idiomatically to describe a type of intellectual rigidity.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a teacher in an AIREplane (doctrinaire) who only reads from the rulebook during an emergency, refusing to adapt. Doctrine + 'aire' (like millionaire) = someone rich in rigid doctrine.
Conceptual Metaphor
THEORY IS A STRAITJACKET / IDEOLOGY IS BLINDERS.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST synonym for 'doctrinaire' in the sentence: 'The revolution failed because of its leaders' doctrinaire policies'?