What You Should Actually Do If You're Accused of Gaslighting Gaslighting is a negative term that can follow you forever. You need to fight back before the label sticks.

The term gaslighting has become much more common in our discourse over the past several years. The word has become so commonly used that Merriam-Webster ranked it as the word of the year for 2022, with search activity increasing at a rate of 1,740%.

Merriam-Webster defines gaslighting as the "psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time that causes the victim to question the validity of their thoughts, perception of reality or memories." The term gaslighting is commonly used in political speech, often to criticize a politician or political committee's messaging. But it's increasingly used in daily life, especially in the workplace. However, it's often misused.

Yes, gaslighting refers to lying or manipulation, but the person accused of gaslighting must also be denying others' sense of reality across several instances. Gaslighting refers to a very specific manipulation style, typically used by someone who is in a position of power or authority. As such, the term should be used carefully and accurately when labeling an individual's actions and behavior.