brainwash
brainwash — verb
- brainwashpresent simple I / you / we / they
- brainwasheshe / she / it
- brainwashedpast simple
- brainwashing-ing form
1. to force a person to adopt certain beliefs by cutting them off from all outside
to force a person to adopt certain beliefs by cutting them off from all outside information and repeating the same ideas over and over — typically done by cult leaders, abusers, or captors targeting one individual at a time
The cult leader brainwashed Rania into believing she must cut all ties with her family.
brainwash + someone + into + -ing
Prisoners of war said their captors brainwashed them with the same slogans repeated every hour.
passive: be brainwashed by captors
Vivek realized his history teacher was trying to brainwash the class into supporting only one political party.
Mei struggled to understand how the group had brainwashed her for so many years.
The kidnapper brainwashed Kofi into believing that his family had abandoned him.
- indoctrinate
more formal; focuses on teaching a doctrine rather than controlling information
- condition
broader; can refer to behavior training without the negative manipulation connotation
- enlighten
emphasizes providing free access to information and letting people decide
文法句型
brainwash + someone
brainwash + someone + into + -ing
be brainwashed + by
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice (be brainwashed). The object is typically one person at a time — contrast with sense 2 (PROPAGANDA) which describes mass persuasion through biased media without cutting anyone off from other sources.
常見錯誤
2. to gradually shape the way large groups of people think by feeding them only one
to gradually shape the way large groups of people think by feeding them only one side of an issue through television, advertising, schoolbooks, or social media
William argued that television commercials brainwash the public into wanting things they do not need.
brainwash + the public into + -ing
The government used school textbooks to brainwash children with one-sided political views.
Beatriz warned her students that social media algorithms can brainwash people without them realizing it.
People in the Eastern European country took over a decade to realize they had been brainwashed by state news.
- propagandize
more specific; refers to spreading biased information rather than the full indoctrination process
文法句型
brainwash + the public / population / consumers
be brainwashed + by + propaganda / media
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (FORCE BELIEFS): sense 1 targets individuals through personal coercion and information isolation (cult leaders, captors, abusers). This sense targets large groups by feeding them one-sided information through television, advertising, or schoolbooks, without cutting anyone off from other sources.
brainwash — noun
1. the practice of trying to control what someone believes through constant repetit
the practice of trying to control what someone believes through constant repetition of ideas and by cutting off other sources of information
A United Nations report described brainwashing as a serious violation of a person's right to think freely.
collocation: described ... as a violation
Rania wrote her thesis on the techniques of brainwashing used by authoritarian regimes.
collocation: techniques of brainwashing
Aiko spent three years in a cult and needed years of therapy to recover her sense of self after brainwashing.
The documentary explored the history of brainwashing in military training camps.
- indoctrination
broader and less extreme; may not involve coercion or information control
- thought control
emphasizes the restriction of independent thinking
用法筆記
Uncountable — used without an article when referring to the general practice. For a specific event, use sense 2.
2. a particular situation or event in which someone is made to accept beliefs throu
a particular situation or event in which someone is made to accept beliefs through repeated pressure and controlled information
Psychologists studied a famous brainwashing that took place in a prisoner camp during the war.
countable: a brainwashing
Kofi described his own brainwashing as a gradual process that he did not notice at first.
Each brainwashing lasted several weeks and left the victim completely dependent on the captors.
The novel is based on a real brainwashing from the 1970s political conflicts.
文法句型
a brainwashing
the brainwashing of
用法筆記
Countable — use with an article (a brainwashing) or quantifier (each brainwashing). Refers to a specific episode; contrast with sense 1 (the general practice).