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Word History of Catharsis and Cathartic
Catharsis and cathartic both trace to the Greek word kathairein, meaning “to cleanse, purge.” Catharsis entered English as a medical term having to do with purging the body—and especially the bowels—of unwanted material. The adjective cathartic entered English with a meaning descriptive of such a physically cleansing purge. It didn’t take long for people to start using these words figuratively in reference to emotional release and spiritual cleansing.
Examples of catharsis in a Sentence
She has learned to have her catharsis, take a deep breath and move on. … she does not dwell on the negative anymore.
—
Selena Roberts, New York Times, 24 June 2001
… malevolence is expressed in his decision to absent himself from the courtroom, thereby denying some victims of his torture the catharsis of compelling him to hear their stories of survival.
—George F. Will, Newsweek, 25 May 1987
… there's the need for catharsis. If you play it all back a second time, you may wear away some of the pain, as you wear away a record with replaying.
—Anatole Broyard, New York Times Book Review, 14 Nov. 1982
As soon as we emerged from the gates of the White House, I became aware of that sea of faces. … I wanted to cry for them and with them, but it was impossible to permit the catharsis of tears.
—Lady Bird Johnson 24 Nov. 1963,
in A White House Diary, 1970
Acting is a means of catharsis for her.
Painting is a catharsis for me.
Selena Roberts, New York Times, 24 June 2001
… malevolence is expressed in his decision to absent himself from the courtroom, thereby denying some victims of his torture the catharsis of compelling him to hear their stories of survival.
—George F. Will, Newsweek, 25 May 1987
… there's the need for catharsis. If you play it all back a second time, you may wear away some of the pain, as you wear away a record with replaying.
—Anatole Broyard, New York Times Book Review, 14 Nov. 1982
As soon as we emerged from the gates of the White House, I became aware of that sea of faces. … I wanted to cry for them and with them, but it was impossible to permit the catharsis of tears.
—Lady Bird Johnson 24 Nov. 1963,
in A White House Diary, 1970
Acting is a means of catharsis for her.
Painting is a catharsis for me.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lorde and Charli ended the duet together, joyously dancing and swinging their admittedly very similar long, dark curls in a moment of intense catharsis for both the artists and their raucous fans.
—Rachel Scharf, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2025
That shift alone — from Air to Water, from surface to soul, from curation to catharsis — is a reminder that life moves in layers.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 19 Oct. 2025
Providing that kind of catharsis is so important to our readers and our audience.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2025
That extended catharsis led to acceptance, a journey mirrored by the album’s progression.
—Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for catharsis
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Rachel Scharf, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2025
That shift alone — from Air to Water, from surface to soul, from curation to catharsis — is a reminder that life moves in layers.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 19 Oct. 2025
Providing that kind of catharsis is so important to our readers and our audience.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2025
That extended catharsis led to acceptance, a journey mirrored by the album’s progression.
—Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for catharsis
Cite this Entry
“Catharsis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catharsis. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
catharsis
noun
ca·thar·sis
variants
also katharsis
plural catharses also katharses
-ˌsēz 
1
2
: elimination of a complex by bringing it to consciousness and affording it expression compare abreaction
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