Dictionary

psychological warfare en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic, uncountable) A mentally manipulative approach to warfare involving use of techniques to demoralize or intimidate someone into surrender.
   • The intelligence services believe it is more likely the Chinese would use psychological warfare to give the impression they were about to seize one of the islands, rather than carry it out. However, if there was pressure within the Chinese military to achieve at least a token military success against Taiwan, this option could not be dismissed. 1996 March 15, Michael Evans, “China offensive cannot be ruled out, experts say”, in The Times, number 65,528, →ISSN, →OCLC, Overseas News, page 14, column 3:
   • Li also inspected a psychological warfare unit at Huchingtou, Liehyu, where he saw off a balloon carrying materials showing the free bastion of Taiwan's warm support for the pro-democracy movement on the China mainland. 1989 June 21 [1989 June 19], “Premier Li Huan Visits Kinmen Island 18 Jun”, in Daily Report: China, numbers 81-118, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 81, column 2:
2. (broadly, uncountable) Mind games.
   • Bill Tilden invented tennis as we now know it. He changed it from the gentlemanly pastime of the 1920s into a professional sport involving stars, strategies and large amounts of money, from a dull and predictable game into a tactical enterprise involving strategy and psychological warfare, net shots, scoops and lobs, all calculated to throw opponents off balance. 1976 December 11, Thom Willenbecher, “Tilden Re-Crucified”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 24, page 14:

Hypernyms

psyops[Appendix:Glossary

Synonyms

war of nerves · war of nerves · psyops

Translations (42)

ko 심리전 (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · da psykologisk krigsførelse (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · cs psychologická válka (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · pt guerra psicológica (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · ja 心理戦 (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · fi psykologinen sodankäynti (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · et psühholoogiline sõda (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · kk психологиялық соғыс (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · pl wojna psychologiczna (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · uk психологічна війна (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · tr psikolojik savaş (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · kk psïxologïyalıq soğıs (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · th สงครามจิตวิทยา (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · hy ջիղերու պատերազմ (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · lt psichologinis karas (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · mk психолошка војна (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · cmn 心理戰 /心理战 (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · ast guerra psicolóxica (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · gl guerra psicolóxica (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · sv psykologisk krigföring (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · lv psiholoģiskais karš (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · cy rhyfela seicolegol (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · de psychologische Kriegsführung (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · el ψυχολογικός πόλεμος (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · sl psihološka vojna (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · es guerra psicológica (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · kk پسىيحولوگىييالىق سوعىس (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · nb psykologisk krigføring (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · it guerra psicologica (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · ru психологическая война (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · fr guerre psychologique (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · sh psihološki rat (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · sh психолошки рат (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · tr psikolojik harp (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · ca guerra psicològica (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · nn psykologisk krigføring (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · nl psychologische oorlogsvoering (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · sk psychologická vojna (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · vi chiến tranh tâm lý (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · ro război psihologic (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · eu gerra psikologiko (mentally manipulative approach to warfare) · bg психологическа война (mentally manipulative approach to warfare)