Definition
To psychologically manipulate someone into questioning their own reality, memory, or perception by denying facts or deliberately spreading misinformation. The term derives from the 1944 film in which a husband dims the gas lights while denying they've changed to make his wife doubt her sanity.
Example Usage
When she gaslit me about what we agreed to, I had to walk away from the conversation.
Origin
From the 1944 film 'Gaslight,' starring Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer, which popularized the psychological manipulation tactic in the 1970s-80s and exploded into common usage with social media.
Fun Fact
Gaslighting was named 'Word of the Year' by Oxford Dictionaries in 2018, reflecting its rise as a term for a recognized form of emotional abuse in relationships.
Related Terms
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See “Gaslight” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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