brainwashing

noun

brain·​wash·​ing ˈbrān-ˌwȯ-shiŋ 

-ˌwä-

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

brainwash

ˈbrān-ˌwȯsh 

-ˌwäsh

transitive verb

brainwash noun

brainwasher noun

Examples of brainwashing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The whole Carnival experience is actually a fine line between indoctrination, brainwashing and glorious community building. —Baz Dreisinger, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025

If brainwashing doesn’t work, defendants can hardly claim it as a defense. —Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025

The tests were believed to be part of a super-secret experimentation program, Project MKUltra, which ran from 1953 to 1973 (when the program’s records were destroyed) to identify drugs that could weaken individuals and force confessions through brainwashing and psychological torture. —Jake Kring-Schreifels, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025

In the aftermath, Rogers frees his teammates from prison while Barnes undergoes cryogenic stasis in Wakanda until his brainwashing can be cured. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

translation of Chinese (Beijing) xǐnǎo

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for brainwashing

• handwashing
• whitewashing
• quashing
• sloshing
• squashing
• washing

Medical Definition

brainwashing

noun

brain·​wash·​ing ˈbrān-ˌwȯsh-iŋ, -ˌwäsh- 

: 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