Dictionary

brainwash en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈbɹeɪnwɒʃ/
• (Southern-England) audio
• (US) audio
• brān'wŏsh

Etymology

From brain + wash, a calque of Chinese 洗腦 /洗脑 (xǐnǎo), literally to wash the brain. Usage via U.S. military during the Korean War.

Meanings

1. A distorting effect upon one's memory, belief, or ideas, as by propaganda.

Forms

Translations (55)

de Hirnwäsche (form of indoctrination) · da hjernevask (form of indoctrination) · fa شستشوی مغزی (form of indoctrination) · et ajupesu (form of indoctrination) · it lavaggio del cervello (form of indoctrination) · de Mentizid (form of indoctrination) · fr lavage de cerveau (form of indoctrination) · pl pranie mózgu (form of indoctrination) · fi aivopesu (form of indoctrination) · vi tẩy não (form of indoctrination) · nb hjernevasking (form of indoctrination) · fo heilatváttur (form of indoctrination) · sh ispiranje mozga (form of indoctrination) · mk миење мозок (form of indoctrination) · mk перење на мозокот (form of indoctrination) · nn hjernevasking (form of indoctrination) · yue 洗腦 /洗脑 (form of indoctrination) · eo cerbolavado (form of indoctrination) · cmn 洗腦 /洗脑 (form of indoctrination) · sl pranje možganov (form of indoctrination) · be прамыва́нне мазго́ў (form of indoctrination) · afb غسيل مخ (form of indoctrination) · tg шустушӯи мағзи (form of indoctrination) · ro spălare a creierului (form of indoctrination) · es comedura de coco (form of indoctrination) · nan-hbl 洗腦 /洗脑 (form of indoctrination) · pt lavagem cerebral (form of indoctrination) · el πλύση εγκεφάλου (form of indoctrination) · sh испирање мозга (form of indoctrination) · de Gehirnwäsche (form of indoctrination) · ur دماغ شوئی (form of indoctrination) · th การล้างสมอง (form of indoctrination) · nl hersenspoeling (form of indoctrination) · sk vymývanie mozgov (form of indoctrination) · he שטיפת מוח \ שְׁטִיפַת מוֹחַ (form of indoctrination) · id cuci otak (form of indoctrination) · cs vymývání mozků (form of indoctrination) · ru промыва́ние мозго́в (form of indoctrination) · lv smadzeņu skalošana (form of indoctrination) · hy ուղեղների լվացում (form of indoctrination) · is heilaþvottur (form of indoctrination) · uk промива́ння мі́зків (form of indoctrination) · ar غَسِيل دِمَاغ (form of indoctrination) · hu agymosás (form of indoctrination) · nb hjernevask (form of indoctrination) · lt smegenų plovimas (form of indoctrination) · ka ტვინის გამორეცხვა (form of indoctrination) · bg проми́ване на мо́зъци (form of indoctrination) · ca rentat de cervell (form of indoctrination) · nn hjernevask (form of indoctrination) · es lavado de cerebro (form of indoctrination) · ja 洗脳 (form of indoctrination) · ko 세뇌 (form of indoctrination) · sv hjärntvätt (form of indoctrination) · ar غَسِيل مُخّ (form of indoctrination)

brainwash en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈbɹeɪnwɒʃ/
• (Southern-England) audio
• (US) audio
• brān'wŏsh

Etymology

From brain + wash, a calque of Chinese 洗腦 /洗脑 (xǐnǎo), literally to wash the brain. Usage via U.S. military during the Korean War.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To affect one's mind by using extreme mental pressure or any other mind-affecting process. (e.g. hypnosis)
   • Toph can't tell who's lying becaue they both think they're telling the truth. Jet's been brainwashed! 2006 November 3, Tim Hedrick, “Lake Laogai” (12:08 from the start), in Lauren MacMullan, director, Avatar: The Last Airbender, season 2 (Book Two: Earth), episode 17, spoken by Sokka (Jack DeSena):
2. (dated, figuratively, transitive) To take from an electronically controlled machine its stored-up information; to erase a computer's programming. (1960)
3. (transitive) To persuade completely and forcibly.
   • The news media brainwashed many people.

Forms

Deriveds

unbrainwash · brainwashy · brainwashable · brainwashee · brainwasher · brainwashedness

Translations (39)

mn тархи угаах (to affect one's mind) · ru промыва́ть мозги́ (to affect one's mind) · sw fua bongo (to affect one's mind) · vi tẩy não (to affect one's mind) · id mencuci otak (to affect one's mind) · pl wyprać mózg komu (to affect one's mind) · de einer Gehirnwäsche unterziehen (to affect one's mind) · hu agymosást végez (to affect one's mind) · da hjernevaske (to affect one's mind) · arz غَسَل الدِماغ (to affect one's mind) · ro spăla creier (to affect one's mind) · fr laver le cerveau (to affect one's mind) · yue 洗腦 /洗脑 (to affect one's mind) · ru зомби́ровать (to affect one's mind) · de gehirnwaschen (to affect one's mind) · he שָׁטַף מֹחַ (to affect one's mind) · sv hjärntvätta (to affect one's mind) · tr beyin yıkamak (to affect one's mind) · ar ّغَسَلَ المُخ (to affect one's mind) · fr bourrer le crâne (to affect one's mind) · cs vymýt mozek (to affect one's mind) · it fare il lavaggio del cervello (to affect one's mind) · pl prać mózg komu (to affect one's mind) · th ล้างสมอง (to affect one's mind) · ru промы́ть мозги́ (to affect one's mind) · es lavar el cerebro (to affect one's mind) · ca rentar el cervell (to affect one's mind) · lt išplauti smegenis (to affect one's mind) · fi aivopestä (to affect one's mind) · fr décerveler (to affect one's mind) · nl hersenspoelen (to affect one's mind) · cmn 洗腦 /洗脑 (to affect one's mind) · lo ລ້າງສະໝອງ (to affect one's mind) · hy ուղեղը լվանալ (to affect one's mind) · ja 洗脳する (to affect one's mind) · is heilaþvo (to affect one's mind) · lt užzombinti (to affect one's mind) · ko 세뇌하다 (to affect one's mind) · pt fazer lavagem cerebral em (to affect one's mind)