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 The reported brain drain has seemed to have minimal consequence on the boulevard of Black Twitter, where members have a sense of ownership over the platform. Jason Parham, WIRED, 29 Jan. 2024 An estimated 1 million Russians left the country in 2022 and 2023, including some prominent anti-war cultural figures, in the largest brain drain since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Bloomberg, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2024 The retirement of experienced Baby Boomers will create a talent gap and brain drain in the U.S. labor market, as their in-depth, 30-plus years of industry knowledge will go out the door with them. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Nearly 1 million young Russians have fled the country, a brain drain that will weigh on the country’s future growth. David J. Lynch, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024 Business Column: Red-state efforts to dumb down their universities will provoke a brain drain May 2, 2023 GOP legislators in Wisconsin held hostage $800 million in funding for the state university and blocked all staff pay raises unless the university cut back DEI programs. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2024 Magnolia State struggles to find workers and stop brain drain TUPELO, Miss.—This city of about 38,000 in the northeast part of Mississippi highlights the challenges facing the South’s least populous state. Cameron McWhirter, WSJ, 31 Dec. 2023 The Information's report also claimed that Apple was facing a brain drain of strong AI talent to companies like Google and Microsoft with less conservative attitudes about AI. Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, 20 July 2023 The brain drain left the company without an obvious replacement for her. Mark Gurman, Fortune, 27 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brain drain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near brain drain

Cite this Entry

“Brain drain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brain%20drain. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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