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to impose one's beliefs

to impose one's beliefs

1 7.2
Force your beliefs on other people who do not want them
  • phrasal verb
  • /ɪmˈpoʊz wʌnz bɪˈlifz/
translation icon : imponer las creencias
  • In a diverse society, it's important to respect others and not impose one's beliefs on them.
  • impose your beliefs on others
  • imposing their beliefs on other people

Examples

  • He often debates passionately but is careful not to impose his beliefs on others during conversations.

  • My father did not impose his beliefs on us.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • One of the most interesting questions many have asked is, 'As president, will he impose his beliefs on others?'

    Blog text (10)
  • "You never want to impose your beliefs on a people, or feel like you know what is best for them," he said Friday.

    Blog text (30)
  • It's not as simple as "Christians want to impose their beliefs on everyone."

    Blog text (7)
  • However, as a private, for-profit company, they do not have the right to impose their beliefs upon their employees.

    Blog text (24)
  • While I understand where Paul is coming from, isn't it just as bad to impose your beliefs on the community?

    Blog text (32)
  • By contrast, al-Mamun and the Mu'tazila sought to impose their beliefs without persuasion and force of argument.

    Academic text (1993)
  • I think you make a good point that you shouldn't have tried to impose your beliefs upon him, but is it ever a good thing to undermine or diminish a source of happiness or pride for your partner, or anyone else?

    Blog text (2)
  • Dominionism also claims that its adherents have a God-given mandate to infiltrate the highest echelons of power and subsequently impose their beliefs on the entire world.

    Blog text (17)

Synonyms

to impose
vsto impose one's beliefs
271 4.8

Force someone to accept something they do not want

applies specifically to pushing personal convictions rather than forcing material things
to brainwash
vsto impose one's beliefs
118 7.3

To make someone accept different beliefs using pressure and tricks

is about pushing personal convictions without the deep systematic mind control implied here
to impose on
vsto impose one's beliefs
60 5.5

To force someone to accept something or to ask too much of them

refers to forcing personal convictions on people rather than general implementations
to thrust
vsto impose one's beliefs
41 6.7

To force something on someone, often against their will

focuses on pushing personal opinions rather than objects or policies
to indoctrinate
vsto impose one's beliefs
31 8.1

To teach people to accept beliefs without question, often to change how they think

uses direct force or pressure rather than long planned teaching
to proselytize
vsto impose one's beliefs
  • US
12 9.1

To try to persuade someone to join another religion

focuses on forcing personal convictions generally rather than only religious persuasion
to shove down someone's throat
vsto impose one's beliefs
  • Informal
2 9.1

Force someone to accept an idea they do not want

covers general unwelcome imposition rather than this forceful idiom
to force down
vsto impose one's beliefs
  • Informal
2 7.0

To make someone accept ideas they do not want

focuses specifically on pushing personal convictions rather than general ideas
to ram down someone's throat
vsto impose one's beliefs
  • Informal
1 8.9

Force someone to accept ideas or opinions without their choice

tends to mean overbearing pressure in general rather than very violent aggression
to force down someone's throat
vsto impose one's beliefs
  • Informal
1 8.3

Make someone accept ideas or opinions they do not want by pressuring them

uses more general phrasing and stresses unwelcome or overbearing action

Antonyms

56 3.2

Allow people or ideas you do not agree with

How Overbearing

to impose one's beliefs
1 7.2
to insist
2.8
to persuade
472 2.7
to speak one's mind
  • Informal
21 3.5

Surface Forms

imposed one's beliefs past participle
imposing one's beliefs present participle
imposes one's beliefs third person singular

Morphology

impose + one + belief

The verb 'impose' (to press or force on someone) combined with 'one's beliefs' (one's convictions) yields a directly compositional meaning — forcing one's opinions on others. This pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows straightforward semantic combination, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Impose one's beliefs creates a simple image: to impose is to put something onto someone and beliefs are what a person thinks. If you put your beliefs onto another person like a heavy burden, you are 'forcing' your views on them, so the phrase means 'to force one's opinions'.