gaslighting

1 of 2

noun

gas·​light·​ing ˈgas-ˌlī-tiŋ 

-ˈlī-

1

: psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty of one's emotional or mental stability, and a dependency on the perpetrator

Gaslighting can be a very effective tool for the abuser to control an individual. It's done slowly so the victim writes off the event as a one off or oddity and doesn't realize they are being controlled and manipulated.

—Melissa Spino

Gaslighting can happen in any relationship circumstance, including between friends and family members—not just in couple relationships.

—Deena Bouknight

This is a classic gaslighting technique—telling victims that others are crazy and lying, and that the gaslighter is the only source for "true" information. It makes victims question their reality …

—Stephanie Sarkis

2

: the act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one's own advantage

Election season can create emotions spanning from immense anxiety all the way to extreme apathy. The public arguing, divisiveness, and competition for votes, including political gaslighting, can be overwhelming and exhausting.

—Vernita Perkins and Leonard A. Jason

As the midterm elections approach, Americans have gotten an earful both about crime itself and how the other side is distorting the news about it for political gain. "Cherry-picking!" "Fearmongering!" "Gaslighting!"

—Chris Herrmann and Fritz Umbach

Intense gaslighting techniques are making it difficult for Montana's commoners to discern what's truth and what's propaganda.

—Steve Kelly

This corporate gaslighting effectively blames children for being addicted to social media and conveniently ignores how companies have intentionally designed their products to have addictive features …

—Nancy Kim

gaslighting

2 of 2

present participle of gaslight entry 2

Did you know?

The Origin and Semantic Development of Gaslighting

The origins of gaslighting are colorful: the term comes from the title of a 1938 play and the movies based on that play, the plots of which involve a man attempting to make his wife believe that she is going insane. His mysterious activities in the attic cause the house’s gas lights to dim, but he insists to his wife that the lights are not dimming and that she can’t trust her own perceptions.

When gaslighting was first used in the mid-20th century, it referred to a kind of deception like that in the plots mentioned above (sense 1). In the current century, the word has come to refer also to something simpler and broader: “the act or practice of grossly misleading someone, especially for a personal advantage” (sense 2).

In this use, the word is at home with other terms relating to modern forms of deception and manipulation, such as fake news and deepfake.

The idea of a deliberate conspiracy to mislead has made gaslighting useful in describing lies that are part of a larger plan. Unlike lying, which tends to be between individuals, and fraud, which tends to involve organizations, gaslighting applies in both personal and political contexts, and is found in formal and technical writing as well as in colloquial use.

Its increasing use in many contexts contributed to making gaslighting Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year for 2022.

Examples of gaslighting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Many grew tired of the gaslighting, media bias and use of the courts to peddle radical agendas and prosecute political adversaries. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 9 Nov. 2024

On that subject of fantastical gaslighting, several days ago a CNN correspondent spent 24 hours consuming mega-MAGA media for a three-minute video. —Richard Behar, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

While staking out a not-so-impromptu meeting with Luca’s wife, Tina, at a restaurant, Oz demonstrates the same back-and-forth emotional gaslighting that his mom clearly raised him on, without even really being conscious of it. —Andy Andersen, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2024

Worried that gaslighting has made its way into your work life? —Mark Travers, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1961, in the meaning defined at sense 1