brainwashing

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Definition
  1. Noun:
    • Forcible indoctrination into a new set of attitudes and beliefs: The systematic and often coercive process of making someone reject old beliefs and accept new ones by using extreme psychological pressure.
Usage
  • The term "brainwashing" describes a method of controlling or changing a person's thoughts against their will, typically through isolation, propaganda, repetition, and stress.
  • It is often used in contexts involving cults, totalitarian regimes, or extreme coercive persuasion.
  • It functions as a non-count noun (e.g., ) but can also be used in a more general sense (e.g., ).
Examples
  • Noun:
    • The hostages were subjected to relentless brainwashing by their captors.
    • Experts debated whether the cult member's radical change in views was a result of genuine conversion or systematic brainwashing.
    • The film explores the themes of propaganda and brainwashing in a dystopian society.
Advanced Usage
  • "to be a brainwashing technique": refers to a specific method used in the indoctrination process.
    • Sleep deprivation is a common brainwashing technique.
  • Conceptual Use: The term is sometimes used metaphorically in informal contexts to describe intense advertising or persuasive campaigns, though this dilutes its severe original meaning.
    • Some critics argue that constant exposure to certain media is a form of cultural brainwashing.
Variants and Related Words
  • Brainwash (verb): To subject someone to brainwashing.
    • The regime sought to brainwash the entire population.
  • Brainwasher (noun): A person who practices brainwashing.
Synonyms
  • Indoctrination: The process of teaching a person or group to accept a set of beliefs uncritically. (Note: "Brainwashing" implies a more forceful, manipulative, and coercive process than general indoctrination.)
  • Coercive persuasion: A more technical term for similar processes of extreme influence.
  • Mind control: A broad term encompassing brainwashing and other methods of dominating another's thoughts.
Related Phrases
  • "To undergo brainwashing": to be subjected to the brainwashing process.
    • Reports suggested the prisoner had undergone brainwashing.
  • "A brainwashing campaign": an organized program of forcible indoctrination.
    • The dictator launched a massive brainwashing campaign to consolidate power.
Noun
  1. forcible indoctrination into a new set of attitudes and beliefs

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