doublethink
doublethink Lexical Profile
doublethink Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The act or power of simultaneously accepting two mutually contradictory beliefs as correct, often in distinct social contexts or as a result of political indoctrination.
"The spokesperson's claim that cutting the education budget would somehow increase funding for schools was a classic example of political doublethink."
• verb
To practice doublethink; to simultaneously hold and accept two contradictory beliefs as true.
"Citizens under the regime were conditioned to doublethink so they would never question the sudden shifts in official policy."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Doublethink' is sometimes confused with 'cognitive dissonance,' which is the psychological discomfort felt when holding conflicting beliefs; 'doublethink,' by contrast, involves accepting both contradictory beliefs without experiencing mental conflict.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined by English author George Orwell in his 1949 dystopian novel 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' as part of 'Newspeak,' the fictional totalitarian language designed by the ruling Party.