# Should accusations of gaslighting be treated as accusations of lying?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-accusations-of-gaslighting-be-treated-as-accusations-of-lying/1018149>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [May 9, 2025, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-accusations-of-gaslighting-be-treated-as-accusations-of-lying/1018149 "2025-05-09T12:30:06Z")\
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**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-accusations-of-gaslighting-be-treated-as-accusations-of-lying/1018149/6 "2025-05-09T13:24:07Z")

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**Gaslighting** by the original or current usage is pretty nefarious. It is in most ways worse than lying.

How I learned it: [Gaslight (1944 film) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslight_(1944_film))

Defination: [manipulate](https://www.google.com/search?num=10&sca_esv=68f73f6b1576676c&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS989US989&sxsrf=AHTn8zqH0JRbIDmpYyeg4W7JzUsvA53idA:1746796906799&q=manipulate&si=APYL9bsHRxpYwvvSTGj17LkMtmwDrxYEePs973wswS5JAknsh_V2XretB1m3nWPTWeCZ9qSPQ7k5SbDhbm892QvUpsAIXQTFJsQFSzlMgDnx0ZG6Yk9HTng%3D&expnd=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjTpv_IvZaNAxWhjYkEHRWBKcAQyecJegQIQBAV) (someone) using psychological methods into [questioning](https://www.google.com/search?num=10&sca_esv=68f73f6b1576676c&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS989US989&sxsrf=AHTn8zqH0JRbIDmpYyeg4W7JzUsvA53idA:1746796906799&q=questioning&si=APYL9btEN2SiQ9h4o5Ckf6vYFXRYBbUaDynFybZUoud-DePmz1GOpgH7mT5smfkERnXLe8xR6wR07FH-mqoBjqq7OMBf_VWJ5dXAWC9bi_KaRnsuX6Jl7zc%3D&expnd=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjTpv_IvZaNAxWhjYkEHRWBKcAQyecJegQIQBAW) their own [sanity](https://www.google.com/search?num=10&sca_esv=68f73f6b1576676c&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS989US989&sxsrf=AHTn8zqH0JRbIDmpYyeg4W7JzUsvA53idA:1746796906799&q=sanity&si=APYL9bv6NZfDtNd4vqOHf1pb5ALyyf6kXv3_2ZlDZzK00mufMIdeZx39r7-xUFzc4iH4FJvnmdVv1NcpGSLGqE-gJ6NDickYVw%3D%3D&expnd=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjTpv_IvZaNAxWhjYkEHRWBKcAQyecJegQIQBAX) or powers of reasoning.

And of course, [the current usage](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Gaslighting) just simplifies it to " **making someone question their own reality**".

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