prop ‧ a ‧ gan ‧ da /ˌprɒpəˈɡændə $ ˌprɑː-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Date: 1700-1800 ; Language: Modern Latin ; Origin: Congregatio de propaganda fide 'Congregation for propagating the faith' , Roman Catholic organization set up in 1622 ]
information which is false or which emphasizes just one part of a situation, used by a government or political group to make people agree with them:
the spreading of political propaganda
Nazi/Communist etc propaganda
propaganda exercise/campaign (=something done to show one political opinion)
They have mounted a propaganda campaign against Western governments.
the government propaganda machine (=people who produce propaganda)
—propagandize ( also -ise British English ) verb [intransitive and transitive]
—propagandist noun [countable]
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + propaganda
▪ political propaganda
Don't believe all the political propaganda.
▪ enemy propaganda
He was charged with ‘distributing enemy propaganda’.
▪ communist/Soviet etc propaganda
Much communist propaganda was about the evils of capitalism.
▪ party propaganda
Public money should not be used to produce party propaganda.
▪ government/official propaganda
Everything would soon get better, according to the official propaganda.
■ verbs
▪ spread propaganda
Several underground organizations were spreading anti-government propaganda.
■ phrases
▪ a piece of propaganda
The claim was a typical piece of Russian propaganda.
■ propaganda + NOUN
▪ a propaganda campaign
The Tories mounted a massive propaganda campaign against the Labour leader.
▪ a propaganda war
He denied the existence of any political prisoners, dismissing the claims as part of a propaganda war.
▪ a propaganda exercise (=something done as propaganda)
The meeting was just a propaganda exercise.
▪ a propaganda machine (=people who produce propaganda in an organized way)
The regime’s propaganda machine presented the incident as a triumph.
▪ a propaganda weapon (=an event, situation etc that can be used for propaganda)
Sporting success was an important propaganda weapon during the Cold War.
▪ a propaganda tool (=an organization or type of communication that is used to spread propaganda)
The newspaper had been turned into a propaganda tool.
▪ propaganda value (=ability to be used for propaganda)
There was propaganda value in agreeing to a peace conference.