brain drain

American  

Or brain-drain

noun

1. a loss of trained professional personnel to another company, nation, etc., that offers greater opportunity.

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brain drain British  

noun

1. informal the emigration of scientists, technologists, academics, etc, for better pay, equipment, or conditions

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brain drain Idioms  

1. The departure of educated or talented persons for better pay or jobs elsewhere, as in The repression of free speech in Germany triggered a brain drain to Britain and America. The term originated about 1960, when many British scientists and intellectuals emigrated to the United States for a better working climate.

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Etymology

Origin of brain drain

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

“Now, 2026 is similar. We’re seeing an absolutely gigantic brain drain of the industry.”

From MarketWatch • May 23, 2026

Dr. Prasad pushed out agency veterans who have been supportive of rare-disease and cancer drugs, which resulted in a brain drain at the agency and delayed drug reviews.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

MPs from the governing coalition stress any "brain drain" is not a new problem for the country, and say its recent deeper woes are a hangover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2026

The script burns so much energy trying to come up with a surprise that it suffers from brain drain.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

No: they continued to test at about the same levels as before the supposed brain drain.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt