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Expression of the Day
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brainwash

Featured
May 17, 2025
To brainwash someone is to systematically try to force a radical change in beliefs or only allow certain beliefs to form.

Though the term is now used loosely to describe something as simple as a marketing message, the term was coined in the 1950's to describe techniques like intense interrogation, isolation, sleep deprivation, and fear to destroy an individual's independent thinking.

Key indicators that someone has been brainwashed are when they rely on a single source of information, have fear of questioning, will demonizing outsiders, and show high emotional stress about the issues for which they've been brainwashed.
Rate of Appearance in English Language Print

Google's Ngram project shows how often a pair of words has appeared in print every year since the 1800's.

Data from Google Books Ngram Viewer. Licensed under CC BY 3.0.

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