therapy

noun

ther·​a·​py ˈther-ə-pē 

plural therapies

1

: therapeutic medical treatment of impairment, injury, disease, or disorder

The number of new patients treated for end-stage renal disease … with dialysis or renal transplantation has continued to rise exponentially with an 8.4% annualized growth rate reaching more than 160,000 patients undergoing therapy in the United States in 1989.

—Friedrich K. Port

see also art therapy, chelation therapy, chemotherapy, gene therapy, hormone therapy, music therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, shock therapy, speech therapy

2

: psychotherapy

Furthermore, the psychotherapist knows that all actions in therapy are messages that need be decoded and understood regardless of the 'language' the patient uses.

—Bruno Bettelheim and Alvin A. Rosenfeld

Synonyms

• antidote
• corrective
• curative
• cure
• rectifier
• remedy
• therapeutic

Examples of therapy in a Sentence

He is undergoing cancer therapy.

talking over my problem with you has been good therapy

Recent Examples on the Web

But not before a decade of therapy, where no one really knew what was going on with her. —David Oliver, USA TODAY, 25 Apr. 2024

There’s a lot of vocal therapy, at least four times a week. —Katie Bain, Billboard, 25 Apr. 2024

In this episode: psilocybin therapy, self-empowerment, chagaccinos, voice memo treasures, the gift of good friends, and Gandolf. —Jordan Moreau, Variety, 25 Apr. 2024

There was speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, neuropsychology, physical therapy (the gym!), and, ultimately, occupational and vocational therapy too. —Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 25 Apr. 2024

How to Get Started While social media loves to play up the positives, cold-water therapy, ice bathing, plunging, and open-water swimming should be approached with caution. —Emily Peck, WIRED, 23 Apr. 2024

Treatments include bodywork, functional medicine, and garden therapies, plus natural beauty rituals. —Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 23 Apr. 2024

For my part, that has meant a low dose of doxycycline to curb breakouts, a very particular skin-care routine, and in-office, non-ablative broadband light laser therapy (BBL). —Loren Savini, Allure, 19 Apr. 2024

Many behavioral support groups can assist, such as 12-step programs and individual therapy. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin therapia, from Greek therapeia, from therapeuein

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing therapy

• androgen deprivation therapy
• art therapy
• aversion therapy
• behavioral therapy
• behavior therapy
• chelation therapy
• cognitive behavioral therapy
• cognitive behavior therapy
• cognitive therapy
• combination therapy
• conversion therapy
• couples therapy
• craniosacral therapy
• electroconvulsive therapy
• electroshock therapy
• estrogen replacement therapy
• gene therapy
• group therapy
• hormone replacement therapy
• hormone therapy
• light therapy
• massage therapy
• music therapy
• occupational therapy
• physical therapy
• play therapy
• polarity therapy
• primal scream therapy
• radiation therapy
• radium therapy
• reparative therapy
• replacement therapy
• self-therapy
• shock therapy
• speech therapy
• talk therapy
• X-ray therapy

Kids Definition

therapy

noun

ther·​a·​py ˈther-ə-pē 

plural therapies

: treatment of an abnormal state of the mind or body

Medical Definition

therapy

noun

ther·​a·​py ˈther-ə-pē 

plural therapies

: therapeutic treatment: as

a

: remedial treatment of mental or bodily disorder

b

: an agency (as treatment) designed or serving to bring about rehabilitation or social adjustment see occupational therapy, recreational therapy