What does irreligion mean?
Irreligion is a formal noun meaning the absence, rejection, or opposition of religion. It can describe an individual's lack of religious belief, but it is especially used for the condition of a society or institution in which religion has little influence or is deliberately excluded from public affairs. The word is more critical and political than atheism, which usually focuses on disbelief in deities, and more evaluative than secularism, which can be a neutral principle of institutional independence. In historical writing, irreligion may refer to secularization, the decline of religious authority, or active efforts to remove religion from education and government. Because the term can carry the implication that religion has been deliberately suppressed or marginalized, its use is often argumentative as well as descriptive. The related adjective irreligious describes a person, organization, or principle that is indifferent to, or opposed to, religion.
nounThe absence, rejection, or active opposition to religion, especially in relation to social or political institutions. The term can also denote a state of being indifferent or hostile toward religious belief and practice.
- The absence or rejection of religion, especially as a social or cultural condition.
- Hostility or indifference toward religious belief and institutions.
"The novel explores the conflict between personal faith and a culture of institutional irreligion."
"The spread of irreligion transformed education and public life in several countries."
"Critics argued that the policy promoted not merely neutrality but institutional irreligion."
The plural is grammatically possible but uncommon; the word is normally used in the singular or in fixed expressions.
"The study examined the political irreligions of the period."
Irreligion names more than personal unbelief: it can describe a society in which religion has been pushed out of public life.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does irreligion come from?
Irreligion was formed in English in the early modern period from the French irreligion, meaning lack of religion. Its ultimate source is Latin: the negative prefix in- was combined with religio, the Roman notion of care, devotion, or binding to the gods. English later developed related forms such as irreligious, while religion, religious, and religiosity continue the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How irreligion is actually used
This is a relatively formal and sometimes strongly evaluative term. It may be used neutrally in historical or sociological analysis, but in political debate it can imply hostility toward religion rather than simple religious indifference.
Easily confused with irreligion
Irreligion refers broadly to the absence or rejection of religious influence, whereas atheism most commonly means the personal denial or lack of belief in the existence of a deity or deities.
Irreligion describes opposition to or lack of religion, while secularism is the principle or practice of keeping political or public institutions independent of religious authority.