deprogram

American  

[dee-proh-gram] / diˈproʊ græm /

verb (used with object)

deprogrammed, deprogramed, deprogramming, deprograming.

1. to free (a convert) from the influence of a religious cult, political indoctrination, etc., by intensive persuasion or reeducation.

2. to retrain, as for the purpose of eliminating or replacing a learned or acquired behavior pattern or habit that is undesirable or unsuitable.

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Other Word Forms

• deprogramer noun
• deprogrammer noun

Etymology

Origin of deprogram

An Americanism dating back to 1970–75; de- + program

Example Sentences

“And so my entire career has been about how to deprogram myself, so that I can capture us the way we should be.”

From Los Angeles Times

The author talked to a wide array of activists and politicians, including Linda Sarsour, who helped push for more diverse viewpoints in the 2017 Women’s March; Diane Benscoter, who helps deprogram people who have been in cults; Anat Shenker-Osorio, a consultant who uses research to help clients understand how to motivate voters; and a former bartender by the name of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

From Los Angeles Times

How do we deprogram ourselves when we think about the crisis in masculinity, starting with a crisis for men and boys of color in particular?

From Salon

There have been cases where Japanese Unification Church followers were kidnapped or confined by relatives attempting to deprogram them from their religion.

From Seattle Times

"You cannot deprogram mental illness, and you cannot deprogram deeply and sincerely held beliefs that a person has had for many, many years. And so this is a new phenomenon, QAnon is much more nuanced than a typical destructive cult in that many of the people that became involved have a history of psychological and emotional problems," he explains.

From Salon