brainwash
/ˈbɹeɪnwɒʃ/ noun, verb
Forms brainwashes brainwashing brainwashed brain-wash brain wash
- noun A distorting effect upon one's memory, belief, or ideas, as by propaganda.
- verb (psychology, transitive) To affect one's mind by using extreme mental pressure or any other mind-affecting process. (e.g. hypnosis)
- verb (figuratively, dated, transitive) To take from an electronically controlled machine its stored-up information; to erase a computer's programming. (1960)
- verb (transitive) To persuade completely and forcibly. “The news media brainwashed many people.”
Etymology
From brain + wash, a calque of Chinese 洗腦 /洗脑 (xǐnǎo), literally to wash the brain. Usage via U.S. military during the Korean War.
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “brainwash”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details