propagandise

IPA/ˌprɒp.əˈɡæn.daɪz/
IPA/ˌprɑː.pəˈɡæn.daɪz/

propagandise — verb

  • propagandisepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • propagandises3rd person singular
  • propagandising-ing form
  • propagandisedpast simple

1. to spread ideas or information in a systematic way in order to influence what pe

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveC1
Definition

to spread ideas or information in a systematic way in order to influence what people think, especially for political reasons — often implying that the information is one-sided or misleading rather than objective

Example

The government was accused of using the state newspaper to propagandise citizens during the election.

passive: be accused of [verb]ing to propagandise

Opposition leaders claimed that the school textbooks were written to propagandise young people.

collocation: propagandise + young people / the population

Common collocations
  • propagandise the public
  • propagandise the population
  • propagandise young people / students / citizens
  • propagandise through the media
  • propagandise by controlling information
  • systematically propagandised
  • openly propagandised
Synonyms
  • indoctrinate

    stronger and more systematic; implies forcing a rigid set of beliefs on someone, often in a closed environment

  • brainwash

    informal and much stronger; implies coercive control over someone's beliefs, often through psychological pressure

  • influence

    more general and neutral; does not carry the negative bias of propagandise

  • sway

    lighter in tone and less systematic; suggests changing someone's opinion through persuasion rather than mass manipulation

Antonyms
  • educate

    implies providing balanced, factual knowledge for the learner's benefit, not one-sided persuasion

  • inform

    neutral; implies sharing objective information without the intent to manipulate

Grammar Patterns

propagandise + noun phrase (people/groups)

propagandise + among + noun phrase

be propagandised by + noun phrase

Usage Note

Almost always carries a negative judgment — the speaker implies that the information being spread is biased, incomplete, or intended to manipulate rather than inform. The American English spelling is 'propagandize'.

Common Mistakes

The marketing team propagandised the new phone on social media.
The marketing team advertised the new phone on social media.
'propagandise' implies political or ideological manipulation, not commercial promotion.
The teacher propagandised the students about the exam schedule.
The teacher informed the students about the exam schedule.
'propagandise' suggests biased or manipulative content, not neutral factual updates.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five words involve changing someone's thinking, but they differ sharply in intensity and connotation. 'Propagandise' refers to spreading ideas through mass communication (newspapers, radio, ads) with the implication that the ideas are biased or manipulative. 'Indoctrinate' is more systematic and institutional — it suggests a captive audience (students, recruits) being drilled with a fixed set of beliefs. 'Brainwash' is the strongest and most informal, implying coercive psychological control that strips away independent thought. 'Influence' and 'sway' are much milder and neutral: you can influence someone by giving good reasons, or sway an audience with a persuasive speech, without any hint of manipulation. For example, a newspaper might propagandise its readers during an election, but a teacher who helps students understand both sides of an argument is educating them, not propagandising them.

propagandise ↗indoctrinate ↗brainwash ↗influence ↗sway ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • propagandise the masses
  • propagandise through the media
  • propagandise into believing

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinItalianEnglish

Formed by adding the verb suffix '-ise' to 'propaganda'. 'Propaganda' comes from New Latin 'propaganda' (things to be propagated), from the Latin verb 'propagare' (to spread, to extend, to propagate). The word was originally associated with the Catholic Church's Sacra Congregatio de Propaganda Fide (Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith), established in 1622. It began to take on its modern negative meaning — one-sided or manipulative political messaging — in the 20th century.