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.
The brain drain camp believes this phenomenon depletes the ranks of academic AI departments, which still do important research and also are responsible for training the next generation of PhD students. Alexandra Sternlicht, Fortune, 25 June 2025 The Return of Talent The United States has spoken of a 'crypto brain drain' for years as engineers, founders, and legal experts fled the U.S. for more welcoming environments. Stepan Sergeev, USA Today, 22 June 2025 And this week, workers at the Department of Health and Human Services have been hit with layoff notices, prompting fears of a brain drain from the field. Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 5 Apr. 2025 The committee’s report warns that while other countries such as the United States, Singapore and Dubai are moving ahead with proactive crypto policies, Israel is suffering from brain drain and a flight of entrepreneurs due to regulatory uncertainty. Tomer Niv, Forbes.com, 9 July 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 26 Jul. 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!