Brainwash Definition

brānwŏsh, -wôsh

brainwashed, brainwashes, brainwashing

verb

To subject to brainwashing.

American Heritage

To indoctrinate so intensively and thoroughly as to effect a radical transformation of beliefs and mental attitudes.

Webster's New World

To subject to brainwashing.

American Heritage Medicine

(figuratively, dated) To take from an electronically controlled machine its stored-up information; to erase a computer's programming. (1960)

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

noun

The process or an instance of brainwashing.

American Heritage Medicine

An effect upon one's memory, belief, or ideas.

Wiktionary

Origin of Brainwash

A calque of the Chinese 洗脑 (xǐ nǎo), literally "to wash the brain". Usage via U.S. military during Korean War.

From Wiktionary
Back-formation from brainwashing

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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