Gaslighting
Manipulating someone into doubting their own memory, perception, or sanity — a therapy-speak term gone mainstream.
Definitions
A form of psychological manipulation where someone makes you question your own memory, perception, or sanity, often by denying things that happened. It's a serious abuse tactic that's now widely discussed online.
In casual internet use, it's broadened (sometimes loosely or jokingly) to mean any denial or misleading.
Part of the "gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss" meme, which pokes fun at the term's overuse.
Gaslighting In A Sentence
Origin & Usage
"Gaslighting" comes from the 1938 play (and 1944 film) "Gas Light," where a husband manipulates his wife into doubting her sanity. It became a mainstream psychology and internet term in the late 2010s, named Merriam-Webster's 2022 Word of the Year.
People Also Ask
What does gaslighting mean?
Gaslighting is manipulating someone into doubting their own memory, perception, or sanity — a serious abuse tactic now widely discussed.
Where did gaslighting come from?
It comes from the 1938 play "Gas Light" and became mainstream in the late 2010s, named Merriam-Webster's 2022 Word of the Year.
Is gaslighting overused?
Some argue yes — it's often applied loosely online to any disagreement, which can dilute a serious term.
How do you use gaslighting in a sentence?
For example: "he's gaslighting me" — making you doubt your own reality.
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