as in to convince
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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Recent Examples of brainwash
But Emma’s frustrated by how brainwashed Sam is.
—
Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
California high school senior Hadeel Hazameh believes she was brainwashed.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2025
They’re being brainwashed in school.
—Betsy McCaughey, Boston Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
Harry and William had a 72-hour argument via text in which William accused Harry of being brainwashed by therapy and Harry appealed unsuccessfully for William to join him for a session.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
The movie, a satire of the fashion industry, follows his male model character Derek Zoolander as the villainous mogul Jacobim Mugatu (Will Ferrell) attempts to brainwash Derek into assassinating the prime minister of Malaysia.
—Tommy McArdle, People.com, 18 Aug. 2025
How could someone as young as Sisson already be brainwashed by big-money interests?
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2025
Justine and Archer eventually overpower and kill the pair, all while Alex is trying to hide from his parents, who are brainwashed into trying to kill him.
—William Earl, Variety, 9 Aug. 2025
Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
California high school senior Hadeel Hazameh believes she was brainwashed.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2025
They’re being brainwashed in school.
—Betsy McCaughey, Boston Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
Harry and William had a 72-hour argument via text in which William accused Harry of being brainwashed by therapy and Harry appealed unsuccessfully for William to join him for a session.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
The movie, a satire of the fashion industry, follows his male model character Derek Zoolander as the villainous mogul Jacobim Mugatu (Will Ferrell) attempts to brainwash Derek into assassinating the prime minister of Malaysia.
—Tommy McArdle, People.com, 18 Aug. 2025
How could someone as young as Sisson already be brainwashed by big-money interests?
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2025
Justine and Archer eventually overpower and kill the pair, all while Alex is trying to hide from his parents, who are brainwashed into trying to kill him.
—William Earl, Variety, 9 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brainwash
Verb
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Getting 33 of his songs recorded in a single year convinced James to leave his studies for good.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
19 Sep. 2025
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Someone had to convince us of the advantages of a medical bed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Masiko enrolled him in a boarding school and persuaded Peter’s mom to allow her son to move in with his family.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
14 Sep. 2025
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The alleged gunman was identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, whose family persuaded him to turn himself in after a two-day manhunt.—
Landon Mion , Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Either way, exhausted skin gets a serious pampering session from the cushiony cream’s hydrating hyaluronic acid and soothing bisabolol, plus some reinvigoration from pore-refining, radiance-inducing niacinamide.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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At this roadside stand, soft-serve cones, towering sundaes, and nostalgia-inducing banana splits taste best eaten under string lights in the warm evening air.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Twins then intentionally walked Kyle Manzardo to face Naylor, who, after Ramírez and Manzardo stole third and second base respectively, brought them both home.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
20 Sep. 2025
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The slough, which can be seen from the BART pedestrian bridge that brings event attendees into the Coliseum grounds, also receives runoff from the Arroyo Viejo and Lion creeks, a pair of urban streams known for their pollution.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Convertibles are more expensive, often attracting older drivers with more income — and generally, more caution behind the wheel.—
Josh Max,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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Public figures, academics and everyday business owners have faced consequences for comments and social media posts that contained celebrations or other musings that attracted swift condemnation.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The increase in payments to insurers could be seen as a way to entice Medicare beneficiaries to move to Medicare Advantage.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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Because while the perks of his elevated status are enticing, maintaining his dominance is as difficult as establishing it.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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One of the fundamental factors influencing the sustainability of this withdrawal rate is the manner in which retirement funds are invested.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
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Exploring how London’s Blitz nightclub influenced ‘80s club culture, the show highlights fixtures at the club.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Ivanhoe Mines—controlled by billionaire Robert Friedland—has agreed to sell C$690 million ($500 million) of its shares to Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) as the company seeks to expands its copper output amid rising demand for the metals needed for electric vehicles and data centers.—
Yessar Rosendar,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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Impact cost refers to the extent to which trade orders — buy or sell — can move stock prices.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brainwash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brainwash. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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