Meaning & Definition of word "Brainwash"

Brainwash

/ˈbreɪnˌwɔːʃ/

1. to manipulate someone into adopting certain beliefs or attitudes through psychological pressure or coercion.
- Example: The cult was known to brainwash its members with intense psychological conditioning.
2. to cause someone to forget or to radically change their beliefs, often by forceful persuasion.
- Example: The government's propaganda efforts aimed to brainwash the population into accepting the new regime.
3. to use systematic coercive persuasion to alter someone's beliefs away from their original views.
- Example: The organization was charged with attempting to brainwash individuals through misleading information and emotional manipulation.
4. to subject someone to a process that changes their beliefs or behaviors through repetitive exposure to particular ideas.
- Example: After spending weeks under extreme conditions, he felt like the media had tried to brainwash him into a specific ideology.

The term is a blend of 'brain' and 'wash', implying the cleansing of thoughts.

brainwashing techniques:

Methods used to cause a person to change their beliefs.

brainwashed followers:

Individuals who have been influenced to adopt specific beliefs or ideologies.

mental conditioning:

A process whereby someone's thoughts are manipulated.

indoctrinate:

To teach a person or group to accept a set of beliefs uncritically.

propaganda:

Information, especially biased or misleading, used to promote a political cause.

Meaning: To influence someone in a subversive way.

Example Sentence: He totally brainwashed her into thinking his way.

Meaning: To convince someone to accept a particular viewpoint.

Example Sentence: They brainwashed the kids to love their product.