Glossary of Gaslighting and Emotional Manipulation
This glossary defines common terms you will see on this site. Each entry gives a brief, plain meaning.
- Blame Shifting
- Moving responsibility onto someone else to avoid accountability.
- Cognitive Dissonance
- Stress that comes from holding two conflicting beliefs or facts.
- Coercive Control
- A pattern that limits freedom through fear, isolation, rules, and monitoring.
- DARVO
- A response where the abuser denies, attacks, and reverses victim and offender roles.
- Flying Monkeys
- People enlisted to pressure, monitor, or spread messages for the abuser.
- Future Faking
- Making big promises with no intent to follow through.
- Gaslighting
- Manipulation that makes a person doubt memory, perception, or sanity.
- Gray Rock
- Staying neutral and unresponsive to reduce manipulation.
- Hoovering
- Attempts to pull someone back using guilt, charm, or false change.
- Love Bombing
- Overloading someone with attention and praise to create quick dependence.
- Projection
- Claiming another person has the thoughts or actions the abuser holds.
- Silent Treatment
- Withholding contact to punish or control.
- Smear Campaign
- Spreading lies or half truths to damage reputation and support.
- Trauma Bonding
- An attachment formed through repeated abuse mixed with intermittent kindness.
- Triangulation
- Using a third person to create rivalry, doubt, or confusion.