brainwashing

noun

brain·​wash·​ing ˈbrān-ˌwȯ-shiŋ How to pronounce brainwashing (audio)
-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 transitive verb
brainwash noun
brainwasher noun

Word History

Etymology

translation of Chinese (Beijing) xǐnǎo

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brainwashing was in 1950

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brainwashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brainwashing. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

Medical Definition

brainwashing

noun
brain·​wash·​ing ˈbrān-ˌwȯsh-iŋ, -ˌwäsh- How to pronounce brainwashing (audio)
: 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!