Word
brainwashing
Phoneticsbrain·wash·ing
US/ˈbɹeɪnˌwɑʃɪŋ/
UK/bɹˈeɪnwɒʃɪŋ/
Definition
n. the process of changing someone's beliefs or opinions by using strong pressure or lies. It is often used to describe how people are forced to think a certain way by a group or government.
n. the systematic process of altering a person's beliefs or attitudes through intensive psychological pressure or coercive techniques. Often associated with political indoctrination or cults.
Examples
“The government was accused of brainwashing the citizens.”
“The documentary explores how brainwashing was used to manipulate soldiers during the war.”
“Psychologists argue that true brainwashing requires a combination of isolation from external information and the systematic dismantling of the individual's previous cognitive framework.”
Examples
simple
“The government was accused of brainwashing the citizens.”
contextual
“The documentary explores how brainwashing was used to manipulate soldiers during the war.”
complex
“Psychologists argue that true brainwashing requires a combination of isolation from external information and the systematic dismantling of the individual's previous cognitive framework.”
Etymology
Calque of Chinese 洗腦 /洗脑 (xǐnǎo, literally “wash brain”). First use appears c. 1950.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/brainwashing