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The Origin and Semantic Development of Gaslighting
The origins of gaslighting are colorful: the term comes from the title of a 1938 play and the movies based on that play, the plots of which involve a man attempting to make his wife believe that she is going insane. His mysterious activities in the attic cause the house’s gas lights to dim, but he insists to his wife that the lights are not dimming and that she can’t trust her own perceptions.
When gaslighting was first used in the mid-20th century, it referred to a kind of deception like that in the plots mentioned above (sense 1). In the current century, the word has come to refer also to something simpler and broader: “the act or practice of grossly misleading someone, especially for a personal advantage” (sense 2).
In this use, the word is at home with other terms relating to modern forms of deception and manipulation, such as fake news and deepfake.
The idea of a deliberate conspiracy to mislead has made gaslighting useful in describing lies that are part of a larger plan. Unlike lying, which tends to be between individuals, and fraud, which tends to involve organizations, gaslighting applies in both personal and political contexts, and is found in formal and technical writing as well as in colloquial use.
Its increasing use in many contexts contributed to making gaslighting Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year for 2022.
Examples of gaslight in a Sentence
Frederick N. Rasmussen, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2024
But these images are also stagy and contrived, as if his birds are players on a stage, dramatically illuminated in the glow of gaslight.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 29 Apr. 2023
Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 29 June 2024
Here’s how to manage, according to Watson: Remember that the most powerful way to evade influence from people who gaslight you in the long term is to practice validating your own experiences and emotions.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 5 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gaslight 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gaslight.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near gaslight
Cite this Entry
“Gaslight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaslight. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
gaslight
1 of 2 noun
gaslight
2 of 2 verb
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