variants
or PSYOP
or less commonly psy-op
or PsyOp
plural psyops or PSYOPs also psy-ops or PsyOps
1
: a military operation usually aimed at influencing the enemy's state of mind through noncombative means (such as distribution of leaflets)
Psyops use a wide array of communications media—including radio and TV broadcasts, loudspeakers, newspapers, magazines, leaflets and even comic books—to help win or prevent wars.—Harold Kennedy
A PSYOP is a form of military operation that targets the emotional and mental state of the enemy.—Mitzi Perdue
"My job in psy-ops is to play with people's heads, to get the enemy to behave the way we want them to behave," says Lt. Colonel Michael Holmes …—Michael Hastings
a CIA psyops/psyop campaign
2
: someone or something used by the government to influence the population's opinions and attitudes
… some hard-line conservatives have raised conspiracy theories … that [singer-songwriter Taylor] Swift is a government psyop planted by the Pentagon to aid Democrats …—Rachel Schilke
Cite this Entry
“Psyop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psyop. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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