propaganda

propaganda — noun

1. information, often biased or misleading, that is spread by a government, organiz

1.nounB2
Definition

information, often biased or misleading, that is spread by a government, organization, or group to shape public opinion in favor of a particular cause, policy, or viewpoint

Example

The government's propaganda posters during the war showed the enemy as cruel and heartless.

attributive: propaganda + noun (posters / films / campaign)

Much of what Yuki read online was propaganda designed to stir up anger.

propaganda + designed to [infinitive]

Common collocations
  • propaganda campaign
  • propaganda machine
  • propaganda posters
  • propaganda films
  • spread propaganda
  • produce propaganda
  • government propaganda
  • political propaganda
  • wartime propaganda
  • piece of propaganda
Synonyms
  • disinformation

    specifically refers to false information spread deliberately to deceive; more direct about dishonesty than propaganda

  • bias

    a natural tendency or prejudice, not necessarily organized or deliberately spread

  • spin

    less formal; presenting facts in a way that favors one side, often used in political and PR contexts

  • advertising

    commercial promotion, not necessarily one-sided or misleading in the same way

Antonyms
  • facts

    information verified as true through evidence

  • impartial reporting

    news coverage that strives to present all sides fairly

Grammar Patterns

propaganda + noun (campaign / poster / film / machine)

piece of propaganda

Usage Note

Propaganda is an uncountable noun — do not use 'a propaganda' or 'propagandas'. It carries a negative tone in modern English, implying that the information is one-sided, manipulative, or deliberately misleading.

Common Mistakes

The government made a propaganda.
The government ran a propaganda campaign.
propaganda is uncountable; use 'a propaganda campaign' or 'propaganda' alone.
The news is full of propagandas.
The news is full of propaganda.
propaganda has no plural form.

Word family

  • propagandist
    nounC1
  • propagandistic
    adjectiveC2
  • propagandize
    verbC2
  • propagate
    verbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Propaganda, disinformation, bias, spin, and advertising all involve influencing what people think or believe, but they differ in intent and honesty. Propaganda is organized, often government-led information that presents one side only, usually for political aims, and may be true, selective, or partly false. Disinformation is narrower: it means false information shared deliberately to deceive — a propaganda campaign might include disinformation, but propaganda can also use true facts arranged to push a viewpoint. Bias is a more personal leaning or prejudice that affects judgment without necessarily being organized. Spin is an informal term for presenting facts in the most favorable light, common in politics and public relations. Advertising is commercial persuasion — selling a product, not a political cause. For example, a wartime documentary is propaganda; a fake news article is disinformation; a politician's press secretary gives spin; a cereal ad is advertising.

propaganda ↗disinformationbias ↗spin ↗advertising ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • propaganda campaign
  • propaganda machine
  • propaganda tool
  • propaganda war
  • piece of propaganda
  • propaganda effort

Prepositions

  • propaganda against
  • propaganda about
  • propaganda through

Etymology

LatinItalianFrenchEnglish

The word comes from the Latin phrase 'Congregatio de Propaganda Fide' (Congregation for Spreading the Faith), a committee set up by the Catholic Church in 1622 to oversee missionary work. It originally had a neutral or even positive meaning — simply 'things to be propagated.' The modern political sense, carrying a negative connotation of manipulation and one-sided messaging, emerged in the early 20th century as governments used organized media campaigns during World War I to influence public opinion.