psychological warfare

American  

noun

1. the use of propaganda, threats, and other psychological techniques to mislead, intimidate, demoralize, or otherwise influence the thinking or behavior of an opponent.

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psychological warfare British  

noun

1. the military application of psychology, esp to propaganda and attempts to influence the morale of enemy and friendly groups in time of war

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Etymology

Origin of psychological warfare

First recorded in 1935–40

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

psychological warfare

This one is closer to a bout of no-holds-barred mud wrestling, with a side of psychological warfare.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

It said they had resisted "psychological warfare, extensive propaganda and seductive offers".

From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2026

In an “open letter to Trello leadership,” one person begins by asking, “Are you secretly conducting psychological warfare, or did a sleep-deprived intern hit ‘publish’ on your latest update by accident?”

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2025

He ended up being an outspoken opponent of psychological warfare after World War II.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 12, 2024

In what might be termed an experiment in psychological warfare, the attractant is combined with a granular material and distributed by planes.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

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