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.
Trump’s actions threaten to trigger a brain drain from the U.S., as researchers in important laboratories have begun looking for jobs abroad or started to field recruitment offers. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2025 So there may well be a brain drain of IT talent in the federal government, or a constant turnover of both senior IT leadership and other technical experts. Richard Forno, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2025 The reality is, right now, with Ukraine’s brain drain, increasing poverty levels, and eroded democracy, our resilience is fragile. Iuliia Mendel, TIME, 29 Jan. 2025 Most of us have heard of brain drains across borders, such as when productive people flee Cuba or Venezuela for freer countries. Onkar Ghate, Orange County Register, 22 Jan. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Brain drain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brain%20drain. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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