Dogma
noun /ˈdɒɡ.mə/ — A set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true.
Definition
A principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true — not to be questioned, doubted, or revised. Dogma is belief made absolute, made institutional, made immune to evidence.
Beyond the definition
Dogma is the enemy of curiosity. It announces: the question is settled. But questions that seem settled have a habit of opening again when the world changes. The price of dogma is always paid eventually.
Origin & history
Greek: 'dogma' (opinion, decree). From 'dokein' (to seem, to think). Originally just an opinion; in Christian theological tradition, it became a formally established, binding doctrine.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The party had developed its own dogma — positions that could not be questioned from within.
Scientific method is specifically designed to avoid dogma: every finding must be testable, falsifiable, revisable.
She had long ago abandoned the dogma of her upbringing, but the habits of thought it produced were slower to leave.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Dogma” when the meaning fits your context: A principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true — not to be questioned, doubted, or revised. Dogma is belief made absolute, made institutional, made immune to evidence.
Synonyms
doctrine, creed, tenet, orthodoxy
Antonyms
skepticism, inquiry, doubt
Related words
Dogma vs doctrine
Dogma carries a stricter, often negative connotation of enforced belief. Doctrine is a more neutral term for an official body of teachings in a religious or political system.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Staircase Representing Social Hierarchy
A large staircase shows people at different levels dressed in distinct, hierarchical styles of clothing.
The rigid, unquestioned structure of the staircase and the people’s placement on it represent dogma—a system laid down as absolute, immune to revision or change, enforcing the status quo.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Dogma" mean?
Dogma is noun meaning: A set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true.. A principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true — not to be questioned, doubted, or revised. Dogma is belief made absolute, made institutional, made immune to evidence.
Where does the word "Dogma" come from?
Greek: 'dogma' (opinion, decree). From 'dokein' (to seem, to think). Originally just an opinion; in Christian theological tradition, it became a formally established, binding doctrine.