brainwashed

verb

past tense of brainwash
as in convinced
to cause (someone) to think or believe something by using methods that make a person unable to think normally Terrorists brainwashed the prisoners. Does advertising brainwash children?

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of brainwashed People who vote for MAGA Republicans are mentally challenged and brainwashed. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 22 June 2026 Society has brainwashed us for decades into bottling our emotions, saying less, not rocking the boat, and just carrying so much on our shoulders. — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026 The siblings had been brainwashed, abused and groomed while growing up in a cult led by Bernie Hoffman, an apocalyptic preacher and false prophet known to the world as Tony Alamo. — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 28 May 2026 These young girls have been brainwashed by a political movement that exists to disenfranchise them. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 May 2026 Bistline further claimed that Bateman brainwashed her and initially convinced her to lie to authorities during her first interview with authorities in 2023. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026 What, are you being brainwashed by communists? — Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026 Artificial men become soldiers and servants (a dead detective rebuilt as RoboCop; Bucky Barnes brainwashed to become the Winter Soldier; Anakin Skywalker resurrected as Darth Vader). — Kennedy French, Variety, 6 Mar. 2026 Landfair claimed that she was brainwashed by Kelly. — Katherine Lam, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brainwashed
  1. convinced
  2. satisfied
  3. influenced
  4. brought
  5. sold
  6. persuaded
  7. interested
  8. attracted
Verb
  • Having convinced the wide player that coming under his tutelage is the right next step, following talks with Chelsea post-Rogers’ sale, Garnacho is set for a critical, arguably career-defining, 12 months.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Lassally wanted Craig Ferguson for the job and eventually convinced the network to sign the Scottish comedian.
    — Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026
Definition of convinced
Verb
  • Kuwait is known to be overwhelmingly dependent on desalination for drinking water, with almost 90% of the arid nation’s water demand satisfied through seawater desalination plants.
    — Michael Wayland,Azhar Sukri,Terri Cullen, CNBC, 18 July 2026
  • The bánh cuốn đặc biệt — a combination plate with plain steamed rice sheets, sheets stuffed with ground pork and mushroom and pieces filled with shrimp — satisfied my internet FOMO cravings.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of satisfied
Verb
  • Nund Rishi was influenced in part by the 14th-century Shaiva Hindu mystic and poet Lal Ded, one of Kashmir’s most revered spiritual figures.
    — Peter Dziedzic, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
  • The pieces deeply influenced Yvonne Rainer and Steve Paxton, leading them to found the Judson Dance Theater, whose members would reshape modern dance over the ensuing decade in a way that continues to resonate more than half a century later.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 29 July 2026
Definition of influenced
Verb
  • The apartments brought thousands of new residents, many with the disposable income developers and national retailers covet.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 27 July 2026
  • Knight brought both belts into the ring, distracting the referee by throwing the world title in the ring.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of brought
Verb
  • Terminal 26, a new restaurant in Ponce City Market’s central food hall, is inspired by Thailand’s famous floating markets, where goods are sold from boats and riverbank stalls.
    — Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 30 July 2026
  • Twenty-nine single-family homes sold for $30 million or more in Miami-Dade in 2025, shattering the previous record of 15 homes in 2024.
    — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of sold
Verb
  • When Milstein persuaded Levshunov and his mother, Inna, that Levshunov could be an NHL player and his best path was in North America, Milstein hoped Levshunov would meet those expectations.
    — Scott Powers, New York Times, 30 July 2026
  • Dozens of officers were at the event, and at least one saw a 15-year-old suspect firing into a crowd and quickly persuaded him to surrender, according to court documents.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
Definition of persuaded
Verb
  • Camerlenghi says Gradara Castle has interested him since his childhood.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2026
  • What interested him was the gap between the performance of power and whatever lives underneath it.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 June 2026
Definition of interested
Verb
  • Nursing her child attracted constant negativity at the last family reunion.
    — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Ward's patient offensive approach had previously attracted national attention as one of the more unique hitters in the minor leagues.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of attracted

Browse Nearby Words

brainwash
brainwashed
brainwashes
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brainwashed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brainwashed. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on brainwashed

Nglish: Translation of brainwashed for Spanish Speakers

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of spindrift

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All