Word
brainwash
Phoneticsbrain·wash, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbɹeɪnˌwɑʃ/
UK/bɹˈeɪnwɒʃ/
Definition
v. to make someone believe something completely by controlling information and repeating messages over time. You use it when pressure or propaganda changes how a person thinks.
v. to indoctrinate a person through sustained manipulation, isolation, or repetitive propaganda so that prior beliefs are replaced with uncritical acceptance.
Examples
“They try to brainwash young followers with endless videos.”
“The cult leaders brainwash new members by isolating them and repeating the same slogans every day.”
“Decades of state-controlled media had brainwashed an entire generation into equating obedience with loyalty and dissent with betrayal.”
Examples
simple
“They try to brainwash young followers with endless videos.”
contextual
“The cult leaders brainwash new members by isolating them and repeating the same slogans every day.”
complex
“Decades of state-controlled media had brainwashed an entire generation into equating obedience with loyalty and dissent with betrayal.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “brainwash” in context.
Verb
01. brainwash child
“The cult was accused of trying to brainwash children into obedience.”
verb + noun
02. brainwash follower
“The leader used videos to brainwash followers into total loyalty.”
verb + noun
03. brainwash into hatred
“Propaganda channels brainwash viewers into hatred of minorities.”
verb + prep + noun
04. brainwash with propaganda
“The movement brainwashes recruits with propaganda day and night.”
verb + prep + noun
05. brainwash youth
“The regime set up camps to brainwash youth with nationalist ideas.”
verb + noun
06. try to brainwash
“Cults try to brainwash lonely teenagers looking for friendship.”
verb + to + verb
Noun
07. attempt to brainwash
“Police uncovered an attempt to brainwash homeless men.”
noun + prep + verb
08. campaign to brainwash
“The party launched a campaign to brainwash rural voters.”
noun + prep + verb
09. accused of brainwashing children
“The sect was accused of brainwashing children in remote camps.”
10. brainwash the public with lies
“The channel was used to brainwash the public with lies about the war.”
11. brainwashed from an early age
“Many young soldiers had been brainwashed from an early age.”
12. brainwashed into hating the enemy
“Teenagers were brainwashed into hating the enemy through textbooks.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object, often followed by 'into' + noun or gerund.
Real-World Examples
“Abdus Salam was brainwashed into believing he would be rewarded for carrying out a suicide attack” “He claimed data is "manipulated" and people have been "brainwashed over time through the media".” “The former North Korean prisoner Kenneth Bae says people in the country are brainwashed.” Etymology
From brain + wash, a calque of Chinese 洗腦 /洗脑 (xǐnǎo), literally to wash the brain. Usage via U.S. military during the Korean War.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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