brainwashing

noun brain·wash·ing \ ˈbrān-ˌwȯ-shiŋ , -ˌwä- \

Updated on: 28 Mar 2018

Definition of brainwashing

1 : a forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up basic political, social, or religious beliefs and attitudes and to accept contrasting regimented ideas

2 : persuasion by propaganda or salesmanship

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brainwash

transitive verb

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brainwash

noun

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brainwasher

noun

Recent Examples of brainwashing from the Web

Culber also mentions that there are new ways to do brainwashing in which one identity is overlaid on top of another identity.

— annalee newitz, Ars Technica, "Star Trek: Discovery is back and things are seriously #$%!&!," 9 Jan. 2018
In The Force Awakens, Finn is a First Order stormtrooper who breaks free of his brainwashing and gets swept up in the Resistance’s efforts almost by accident.

— david sims, The Atlantic, "The Last Jedi's Biggest Storytelling Innovation," 18 Dec. 2017
The search resulted not in a miraculous new weapon but a program of simulated brainwashing designed as a prophylactic against enemy mistreatment.

— lorraine boissoneault, Smithsonian, "The True Story of Brainwashing and How It Shaped America," 22 May 2017
My stories are about smashing systematic oppression, owning our truths, being accountable to the people and places that support us, and taking back a connection to your body that may have been lost through trauma or societal brainwashing.

— breena kerr, New York Times, "Tarot Is Trending, and Dior Predicted This Months Ago," 25 Oct. 2017
There is little counseling on offer for repatriated Yazidi boys to help treat their trauma or counter the brainwashing they were subjected to.

— nima elbagir, ghazi balkiz and tamara qiblawi, CNN, "ISIS' power is waning, but its child slave trade is still booming," 18 Oct. 2017
Of course, the aspect of the film that has proven to be most intriguing over time is not the brainwashing theme, but rather the assassination subject matter.

— gordon arnold, Slate Magazine, "A Conspiracy Thriller Before Its Time," 26 May 2017
So far in 2017, Stanfield has been a victim of white brainwashing in Jordan Peele’s acclaimed thriller Get Out, and played a soldier and a lover respectively in the Netflix films War Machine and The Incredible Jessica James.

— brian truitt, USA TODAY, "Why, yes, Lakeith Stanfield really is in everything you've watched lately," 21 Aug. 2017
While few people take seriously the notion of hypnosis-like brainwashing (outside Hollywood films like Zoolander), there are still plenty who see danger in certain kinds of control.

— lorraine boissoneault, Smithsonian, "The True Story of Brainwashing and How It Shaped America," 22 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'brainwashing.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of brainwashing

translation of Chinese (Beijing) xǐnǎo

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1950

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

brainwashing

noun brain·wash·ing \ ˈbrān-ˌwȯsh-iŋ, -ˌwäsh- \

medical Definition of brainwashing

: a forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up basic political, social, or religious beliefs and attitudes and to accept contrasting regimented ideas

—

brainwash

transitive verb

—

brainwash

noun

—

brainwasher

noun

Learn More about brainwashing

Nglish: Translation of brainwashing for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of brainwashing for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about brainwashing

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brainwashing

Definition of brainwashing

brainwash

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brainwasher

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Origin and Etymology of brainwashing

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brainwashing

medical Definition of brainwashing

brainwash

brainwash

brainwasher

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