brainwash

Definition of brainwash in English English dictionary: An effect upon one's memory, belief, or ideas; To take from an electronically controlled machine its stored-up information; to erase a computer's programming. (1960); To affect one's mind by using extreme mental pressure or any other mind effecting process. (i.e. hypnosis); If you brainwash someone, you force them to believe something by continually telling them that it is true, and preventing them from thinking about it properly. They brainwash people into giving up all their money We were brainwashed to believe we were all equal. to make someone believe something that is not true, by using force, confusing them, or continuously repeating it over a long period of time; {f} remove a person's ideas and replace them with other ideas; persuade completely, often through coercion; "The propaganda brainwashed many people"; An effect upon ones memory, belief, or ideas; To take from an electronically controlled machine its stored-up information; to erase a computers programming. (1960); submit to brainwashing; indoctrinate forcibly; To affect ones mind by using extreme mental pressure or any other mind effecting process. (i.e. hypnosis); submit to brainwashing; indoctrinate forcibly persuade completely, often through coercion; "The propaganda brainwashed many people
brainwashed: past of brainwash
brainwashed: subjected to intensive forced indoctrination resulting in the rejection of old beliefs and acceptance of new ones; "brainwashed prisoners of war"; "captive audiences for TV commercials can become brainwashed consumers
brainwashes: third-person singular of brainwash
brainwashing: Systematic effort to destroy an individual's former loyalties and beliefs and to substitute loyalty to a new ideology or power. It has been used by religious cults as well as by radical political groups such as the Chinese Communists in 1949. The techniques of brainwashing usually involve isolation from former associates and sources of information; an exacting regimen calling for absolute obedience and humility; strong social pressures and rewards for cooperation; physical and psychological punishments for noncooperation, including social ostracism and criticism, deprivation of food, sleep, and social contacts, bondage, and torture; and constant reinforcement. Its effects are sometimes reversed through deprogramming, which combines confrontation and intensive psychotherapy
brainwashing: A non-violent method that uses mind control techniques to convince a person to abandon some of their basic beliefs and adopt the beliefs of the indoctrinator The anti-cult movement teaches that many small religious groups, which they call cults, engage in brainwashing Sociologists and mental health researchers who are not involved in the anti-cult movement generally reject the concept
brainwashing: [noun]: persuasion by propaganda or salesmanship [Characterization]
brainwashing: forcible indoctrination into a new set of attitudes and beliefs
brainwashing: {i} act of removing a person's ideas and replacing them with new ones
brainwashing: n A cold Big Brother's constant barrage of propoganda to people under his thumb