I"m aware of the term "gaslighting", but I believe this only references when someone else is trying to make you think you're going mad; but I'm wondering is there a similar term that explains when someone is doing much the same, but in this instance is trying to make you constantly doubt your intelligence on the matter and acts as if their opinion on the matter is infallible, based on just their word?
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2Gaslighting is a pretty soft and subtle term. Few people are familiar with the movie it comes from and no one understands the limitations of gas light that made the meaning possible.– ElliotCommented Dec 12, 2020 at 3:17
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3 Answers
Potentially undermine
to make someone less confident, less powerful, or less likely to succeed, or to make something weaker, often gradually
answered Dec 18, 2020 at 15:36
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Yes; unstring and especially unhinge are blunter. This is appropriate. Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 15:40
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A word that comes to mind for me is enervate
enervate: to reduce the mental or moral vigor of (Websters)
Another, really fun word, is unstring
unstring: To deprive of composure or emotional stability; unnerve. (Heritage)
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2Got any examples of 'enervate' in this form? I've never seen or heard 'he/she enervates him/her', though 'I found the music enervating' is common enough. 'He unstrings her' is a new one on me!! Commented Dec 12, 2020 at 2:57
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enervate connotes a different type of weakening and isn't appropriate to the context at hand. unstring ( a new one on me as well) is a good one. Commented Dec 12, 2020 at 3:56
I offer unhinge, which carries with it strong connotations of mentally unbalancing someone.
Here is how AHD defines the word—
To confuse or disrupt: an event that unhinged the marriage.
To derange or unbalance: He was unhinged by his wife's death.
