brainwashing 1 of 2

noun

Definition of brainwashingnext
as in lobbying

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brainwashing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of brainwash
as in convincing
to cause (someone) to think or believe something by using methods that make a person unable to think normally Terrorists brainwashed the prisoners. Does advertising brainwash children?

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of brainwashing
Noun
Hale connects that story to another tale that took place in the same wilderness twenty years earlier—a story of a cult, brainwashing, teenage prophets, and murder. — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026 Conspiracies and brainwashing In Argentina, there was the troubling disappearance of five-year-old Loan Peña in Corrientes province. — Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
But the college plot soon recommences, and the Duffys eventually speak with a Harvard chaplain who, to some extent, is able to allay their anxieties about brainwashing. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2026 Maurice is convinced that Tall Pines is brainwashing teens and then sending them to who-knows-where to work as spies. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for brainwashing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brainwashing
  1. lobbying
  2. convincing
  3. influencing
  4. inducing
  5. seduction
  6. bringing
  7. selling
  8. satisfying
Noun
  • The final agreement omitted references to lobbying, with Vincer’s agency, Notorious, signing the contract with Tether as an intermediary for Nxum.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
  • And could all this lobbying backfire into an NCAA super-union?
    — Pablo Torre Laura Newcombe, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of lobbying
Verb
  • Our main hurdle has always been convincing people to pay for a cinema ticket to watch two episodes of a series.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • To do so, the Republican Party has bet strongly this year on a strategy of convincing people that voter fraud is rampant.
    — Christopher Miller, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of convincing
Noun
  • Suleiman Sami’s business, S Sami Services LLC, provides transportation services, event ticket sales and social media influencing.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • When students graduate, they'll be prepared for roles in content strategy, digital influencing, brand development, social media management and audience engagement across industries.
    — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of influencing
Verb
  • Lookswise, the Panasonic sits in the same ranks as flush-inset refrigerators that blend into custom cabinetry and sticker-shock–inducing ovens equipped with top-of-the-line tech.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The latest to join that roster of wanderlust-inducing adaptations is this month’s Sense and Sensibility, a retelling of Austen’s 1811 debut novel from director Georgia Oakley.
    — Nicholas DeRenzo, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of inducing
Noun
  • In this seduction, in a text that manages to be both grandiose and intimate, Rice works the mysterious alchemy of creating permanence.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Collections this week were versatile, taking the client from day to evening with a sense of seduction and confidence.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of seduction
Verb
  • Creality's approach is rather different, swapping smaller nozzle assemblies instead of complete print heads, and potentially bringing the benefits of multi-nozzle printing to a more affordable machine.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
  • For the Bills fans, the store opening is bringing a slice of home and Upstate New York.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of bringing
Verb
  • In the first, a best-selling mystery author dies, and Benoit Blanc, a charismatic and inquisitive private eye played by Daniel Craig, must investigate.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Wrigley View Rooftop was found to misappropriate by selling tickets to games and events at Wrigley Field, which exclusively belongs to the Cubs.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of selling
Verb
  • Here are 16 satisfying activities and rituals to add to your fall bucket list.
    — Clare Marie Schneider, NPR, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Unlike quiches, frittatas are crustless, but this version doesn’t skimp on satisfying carbs, thanks to coils of spaghetti that become crisp and caramelized on the edges and soft and fluffy in the eggy center.
    — Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of satisfying

Browse Nearby Words

brainwashes
brainwashing
brain wave
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Cite this Entry

“Brainwashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brainwashing. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on brainwashing

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about brainwashing

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