brainwashing 1 of 2

noun

Definition of brainwashingnext
as in lobbying

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brainwashing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of brainwash
as in convincing
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?

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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 brainwashing
Noun
Hale connects that story to another tale that took place in the same wilderness twenty years earlier—a story of a cult, brainwashing, teenage prophets, and murder. — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026 Conspiracies and brainwashing In Argentina, there was the troubling disappearance of five-year-old Loan Peña in Corrientes province. — Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
Maurice is convinced that Tall Pines is brainwashing teens and then sending them to who-knows-where to work as spies. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for brainwashing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brainwashing
  1. lobbying
  2. convincing
  3. influencing
  4. inducing
  5. seduction
  6. bringing
  7. selling
  8. satisfying
Noun
  • To accommodate its delegation for the May lobbying trip, the commission’s Intergovernmental Affairs office in February booked about 30 rooms at the Royal Sonesta on Capitol Hill for May 19 and May 20.
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
  • The other nonprofit has been reporting its spending as scholarships that are also required to be disclosed under the lobbying law.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026
Definition of lobbying
Verb
  • With Goncalo Ramos joining AC Milan from the back-to-back Champions League holders, there is a vacant striker’s spot with Luis Enrique possibly convincing Ferran to follow Dro Fernandez’s lead and swap FC Barcelona for PSG.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • In reality, Disney spent roughly two decades trying to acquire the rights before finally convincing Travers to travel to California in 1961.
    — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 9 July 2026
Definition of convincing
Noun
  • Nicolas Matthew Scelfo of Brooklyn, New York, faces up to 10 years in prison after being charged with influencing, impeding, and retaliating against a federal officer by threat.
    — Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 10 June 2026
  • Seven states have now passed legislation to regulate family influencing, but these laws mostly just ensure that parents set aside a percentage of earnings to compensate their children.
    — Kristen Martin, The Atlantic, 13 May 2026
Definition of influencing
Verb
  • But New York got to him in the fifth, inducing three walks while getting a two-run homer off the bat of Max Schuemann.
    — Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 4 July 2026
  • Earlier, engineers had to choose between slow, high-resolution systems impacted by heavy, lag-inducing computational pipelines or fast, real-time systems that sacrificed vital spatial accuracy.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
Definition of inducing
Noun
  • Hurlbut agreed that the seduction of AI is its ease and accessibility.
    — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • The rhythm of the writing shows the staccato nature of those relationships, with their stops and starts, and how sometimes signs of seduction cannot be misinterpreted or not picked up at all.
    — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 26 June 2026
Definition of seduction
Verb
  • Typhoon Bavi weakened to a severe tropical storm after making landfall in eastern China's Zhejiang province but was still bringing strong winds and heavy rain to eastern China on Sunday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 July 2026
  • So bringing them all in just keeps them from being siloed and gives them more to work with.
    — Max Gao, Variety, 11 July 2026
Definition of bringing
Verb
  • That convergence is drawing together businesses that once occupied separate corners of the market, from consumer staples companies selling food to biotech firms developing medicines and veterinary providers offering increasingly sophisticated care.
    — Elsa Ohlen,Carolin Roth, CNBC, 18 July 2026
  • Newcastle talk about a ‘trading model’ because selling players is essential to making signings, given UEFA and the Premier League’s financial restrictions.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Definition of selling
Verb
  • Paxton even distinctly remembers the duo satisfying a Big Mac craving after watching Supersize Me together.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026
  • Installing peel-and-stick wallpaper is an excellent starter DIY that feels satisfying and packs a punch.
    — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 13 July 2026
Definition of satisfying

Browse Nearby Words

brainwashes
brainwashing
brain wave
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Cite this Entry

“Brainwashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brainwashing. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on brainwashing

Nglish: Translation of brainwashing for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about brainwashing

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