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.
Alphabet shares slipped 5%, notching their worst daily performance in over a year, as brain drain concerns mounted following the departure of two high-profile artificial intelligence researchers for rivals. Lisa Kailai Han,lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 22 June 2026 These moves seek to address the brain drain of top technical talent following the invasion of Ukraine by playing to a traditional Russian strength—upskilling members of a population of some 140 million people, which has historically seen success in the mathematical sciences. Nikita Ostrovsky, Time, 18 June 2026 Wilkes-Barre had lost its élan after a valley-wide flood in 1972; the brain drain of my generation off to college; a hollowing out of industry. Literary Hub, 18 June 2026 The government’s attempt to secure American AI dominance may actually accelerate the very brain drain that threatens it. Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Brain drain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brain%20drain. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.

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