Meanings
- idiomaticuncountableA mentally manipulative approach to warfare involving use of techniques to demoralize or intimidate someone into surrender.
Li also inspected a psychological warfare unit at Huchingtou, Liehyu, where he saw off a balloon carrying materials showing the free bastion of Taiwan's warm support for the pro-democracy movement on the China mainland.
1989 June 21 [1989 June 19], “Premier Li Huan Visits Kinmen Island 18 Jun”, in Daily Report: China, numbers 81-118, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 81, column 21 more example
The intelligence services believe it is more likely the Chinese would use psychological warfare to give the impression they were about to seize one of the islands, rather than carry it out. However, if there was pressure within the Chinese military to achieve at least a token military success against Taiwan, this option could not be dismissed.
1996 March 15, Michael Evans, “China offensive cannot be ruled out, experts say”, in The Times, number 65,528, →ISSN, →OCLC, Overseas News, page 14, column 3Synonyms: war of nerves
- broadlyuncountableMind games.
1 more example
Bill Tilden invented tennis as we now know it. He changed it from the gentlemanly pastime of the 1920s into a professional sport involving stars, strategies and large amounts of money, from a dull and predictable game into a tactical enterprise involving strategy and psychological warfare, net shots, scoops and lobs, all calculated to throw opponents off balance.
1976 December 11, Thom Willenbecher, “Tilden Re-Crucified”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 24, page 14Synonyms: war of nerves, psyops
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA mentally manipulative approach to warfare involving use of techniques to demoralize or intimidate someone into surrender.
nounMind games.
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe use of psychological tactics to destroy the opponents' morale
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Basque gerra psikologiko
- gerra psikologikomentally manipulative approach to warfare
Bulgarian психологическа война
- психологическа война (psihologičeska vojna)mentally manipulative approach to warfare
Catalan guerra psicològica
- guerra psicològicamentally manipulative approach to warfare
Chinese Mandarin 心理戰 /心理战
- 心理戰 /心理战 (xīnlǐzhàn)mentally manipulative approach to warfare
Czech psychologická válka
- psychologická válkamentally manipulative approach to warfare
Danish psykologisk krigsførelse
- psykologisk krigsførelsementally manipulative approach to warfare
Dutch psychologische oorlogsvoering
- psychologische oorlogsvoeringmentally manipulative approach to warfare
Estonian psühholoogiline sõda
- psühholoogiline sõdamentally manipulative approach to warfare
Finnish psykologinen sodankäynti
- psykologinen sodankäyntimentally manipulative approach to warfare
French guerre psychologique
- guerre psychologiquementally manipulative approach to warfare
German psychologische Kriegsführung
- psychologische Kriegsführungmentally manipulative approach to warfare
Greek ψυχολογικός πόλεμος
- ψυχολογικός πόλεμος (psychologikós pólemos)mentally manipulative approach to warfare
Italian guerra psicologica
- guerra psicologicamentally manipulative approach to warfare
Japanese 心理戦
- 心理戦 (shinrisen)mentally manipulative approach to warfare
Korean 심리전
- 심리전 (simnijeon)mentally manipulative approach to warfare
Latvian psiholoģiskais karš
- psiholoģiskais karšmentally manipulative approach to warfare
Lithuanian psichologinis karas
- psichologinis karasmentally manipulative approach to warfare
Norwegian Bokmål psykologisk krigføring
- psykologisk krigføringmentally manipulative approach to warfare
Polish wojna psychologiczna
- wojna psychologicznamentally manipulative approach to warfare
Portuguese guerra psicológica
- guerra psicológicamentally manipulative approach to warfare
Romanian război psihologic
- război psihologicmentally manipulative approach to warfare
Russian психологическая война
- психологическая война (psixologičeskaja vojna)mentally manipulative approach to warfare
Slovak psychologická vojna
- psychologická vojnamentally manipulative approach to warfare
Spanish guerra psicológica
- guerra psicológicamentally manipulative approach to warfare
Swedish psykologisk krigföring
- psykologisk krigföringmentally manipulative approach to warfare
Thai สงครามจิตวิทยา
- สงครามจิตวิทยา (sǒng-kraam-jìt-dtà-wít-tá-yaa)mentally manipulative approach to warfare
Turkish psikolojik harp, psikolojik savaş
- psikolojik harpmentally manipulative approach to warfare
- psikolojik savaşmentally manipulative approach to warfare
Ukrainian психологічна війна
- психологічна війна (psyxolohična vijna)mentally manipulative approach to warfare
Vietnamese chiến tranh tâm lý
- chiến tranh tâm lýmentally manipulative approach to warfare
Welsh rhyfela seicolegol
- rhyfela seicolegolmentally manipulative approach to warfare
Cite this entry
psychological warfare. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/psychological%20warfare
“psychological warfare.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/psychological%20warfare. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “psychological warfare,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/psychological%20warfare.
Source: psychological warfare on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.