doctrinaire

plural doctrinaires

1. A person who stubbornly holds to a philosophy or opinion regardless of its feasibility.

   Or, shall we play the doctrinaire, and hint that at thirty-four the tides of life are calmer and cognizant of many sources instead of but one—as at four-and-twenty?

   1909 April, O. Henry [pseudonym; William Sydney Porter], “The Renaissance at Charleroi”, in Roads of Destiny, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, →OCLC, page 274

   1 more example

   And he is not above feeling grave and well-contained satisfaction wherever the socialist doctrinaire has been contradicted by men attempting to practise coöperation in the midst of the competitive system, as in Belgium.

   1905 April, Jack London, “A Review”, in War of the Classes, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 212

2. historicalIn France, in 1815–30, a faction that advocated a constitution modeled on that of Britain.

comparative more doctrinaire · superlative most doctrinaire

1. Stubbornly holding on to an idea without concern for practicalities or reality.

   The next government should be patient, and wait for the revenues to begin flowing. The course set by Cameron and Osborne is not just doctrinaire. It is also dangerous.

   2009 October 8, Martin Kettle, “Doctrinaire and dangerous, Cameron's speech could unseal the deal”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   5 more examples

   Mr. Chapman began to talk in a loud voice about the situation in the House of Commons. He guffawed at his adversaries. The word doctrinaire—word full of terror to the British mind—reappeared from time to time between his explosions.

   [1891, Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, London; New York, N.Y.: Ward Lock & Co., →OCLC

   We have been long accustomed to consider growth as applied almost exclusively to size in its various aspects. But Nature, who has no doctrinaire ideas, may equally apply it to concentration.

   1911, Bram Stoker, The Lair of the White Worm, London: William Rider and Son, […], →OCLC

   They showed a new and encouraging Parliamentary appreciation that it is time our national transport problems were examined expertly and without doctrinaire prejudice of any sort—or too much attention to the lobbying of some powerful special interests.

   1961 January, “Talking of Trains: Marples out of step”, in Trains Illustrated, page 1

   As analysts warned that relying on boosting economic growth to reduce income inequalities could increase disparities, Tory grandees sounded the alarm over what they said risked being an doctrinaire approach.

   2022 September 4, Peter Walker, Rupert Neate, “Truss to push ahead with low-tax economy despite calls for caution”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   The widespread use of subtitles felt, to me, like a lurch backward toward the silent-film era. But I didn’t want to be too doctrinaire. Maybe some exceptions could be made.

   2023 June 6, Devin Gordon, “Why Is Everyone Watching TV With the Subtitles On?”, in The Atlantic, retrieved 09 Jun 2023