Definition
A form of psychological manipulation where someone systematically makes another person question their own memory, perception, or judgment. The victim gradually loses confidence in their ability to distinguish truth from falsehood.
Etymology
Named after the 1944 film 'Gaslight' where a husband manipulates his wife into believing she's going insane by dimming gas lights and denying it's happening. The term entered psychological vocabulary in the 1960s and became widely recognized in discussions of emotional abuse.
Kelly Says
Gaslighting is insidious because it attacks the very foundation of reality - your ability to trust your own experience. Victims often develop a constant internal dialogue of self-doubt, always wondering 'Am I crazy, or is this really happening?' which is exactly what the manipulator wants.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
加ስላይቲንግ
gas-lai-ting
ARالعربية
غازللايتنغ
gaz-laiting
BNবাংলা
গ্যাসলাইটিং
gas-lai-ting
CACatalà
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
CSČeština
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
DADansk
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
DEDeutsch
Gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
ELΕλληνικά
γκαζλάιτινγκ
gas-lai-ting
ESEspañol
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
FAفارسی
گازलाइटینگ
gas-lai-ting
FISuomi
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
FRFrançais
gaslighting
gas-li-ting
GUGU
ગેસલાઈટિંગ
gas-lai-ting
HAHA
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
HIहिन्दी
गैसलाइटिंग
gas-lai-ting
HUMagyar
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
IDBahasa Indonesia
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
IGIG
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
ITItaliano
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
JA日本語
ガスライティング
gasu raitingu
KKKK
газлайттинг
gaz-lai-ting
KMKM
កាសឡាយតិង
kaas-lai-ting
KO한국어
가스라이팅
gasu-rai-ting
MRMR
गॅसलाइटिंग
gas-lai-ting
MSBahasa Melayu
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
MYမြန်မာ
ဂါစလိုက်တင်
ga-sar-loi-ting
NLNederlands
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
NONorsk
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
PAPA
ਗੈਸਲਾਇਟਿੰਗ
gas-lai-ting
PLPolski
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
PTPortuguês
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
RORomână
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
RUРусский
Газлайтинг
gaz-laiting
SVSvenska
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
SWKiswahili
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
TAதமிழ்
காஸ்லைட்டிங்
kaas-lai-ting
TEతెలుగు
గ్యాస్లైటింగ్
gāas-lai-ting
THไทย
การก๊าซไลท์ติ้ง
garan gas-lai-ting
TLTL
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
TRTürkçe
gazlighting
gaz-lai-ting
UKУкраїнська
газлайтинг
gaz-laiting
URاردو
گاسلائٹنگ
gas-lai-ting
VITiếng Việt
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
YOYO
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
ZH中文
煤气灯效应
méi qì dēng xiàoyìng
ZUZU
gaslighting
gas-lai-ting
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Derived from the 1944 film 'Gaslight' starring Ingrid Bergman, where a husband manipulates his wife into questioning her sanity. The term emerged in feminist discourse in the 1980s-90s as women named a specific form of abuse they experienced; however, the word itself carries no inherent gendered etymology.
Inclusive Usage
Use as-is; the term accurately describes psychological manipulation regardless of victim/perpetrator gender. Avoid framing as 'something men do to women' — gaslighting occurs across all gender combinations.
Empowerment Note
Women's activist and psychological communities deserve credit for naming and raising awareness of this manipulation tactic, giving language to a widespread experience.