Deprogramming

/ˌdiːˈproʊɡræmɪŋ/ noun

Definition

The process of helping someone break free from brainwashing, cult indoctrination, or harmful psychological conditioning.

Etymology

From deprogram + -ing (gerund suffix). Emerged in 1970s psychological and sociological literature about cults.

Kelly Says

Deprogramming became a real social movement and topic of academic study—it raised profound questions about how malleable human belief is and whether you can force someone to 'unbelieve' what they've been taught.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.