brain drain

noun

: the departure of educated or professional people from one country, economic sector, or field for another usually for better pay or living conditions

Examples of brain drain in a Sentence

Nothing has been done to stop the brain drain as more and more doctors move away from the area.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But in Term Two, the administration has taken a chain saw to universities, federal jobs and federal funding for scientific research, which has prompted talk of a brain drain, with scientists looking for work in other countries. Steve Lopez, Mercury News, 7 May 2025 Aix-Marseille is not the only European institution hoping to capitalize on America's brain drain. Alana Wise, NPR, 18 Apr. 2025 The American scientific community could soon be plagued by a brain drain, recent polling suggests. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2025 This loss in students could lead to a significant brain drain in the United States. Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for brain drain

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brain drain was in 1960

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brain drain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brain%20drain. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!