brain drain

NOUN

loss of important personnel

Synonyms

WEAK

departure mass exodus turnover

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Dr. Prasad pushed out agency veterans who have been supportive of rare-disease and cancer drugs, which resulted in a brain drain at the agency and delayed drug reviews.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

Another issue for the UK is a "brain drain" of experts, who see more appealing and lucrative opportunities elsewhere in the world.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

The brain drain has been catastrophic at the department, which is engulfed in personnel chaos.

From Salon • Feb. 6, 2026

Unemployment in major cities stands at 35 percent and graduates are looking elsewhere, fuelling a lucrative brain drain market.

From Barron's • Oct. 11, 2025

No: they continued to test at about the same levels as before the supposed brain drain.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt