cathartic

1 of 2

adjective

ca·​thar·​tic kə-ˈthär-tik 

: of, relating to, or producing catharsis

cathartic drugs

a cathartic experience

cathartically

kə-ˈthär-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

cathartic

2 of 2

noun

: a medicine that causes the bowels to be purged (see purge entry 1 sense 2a) : purgative

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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 cathartic in a Sentence

Adjective

There's something cathartic about a punch in the nose. —Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated, 28 Jan. 2002

But Vietnam is hard to sell as a tidy, cathartic morality tale of troubled times overcome. —Jennifer Homans, New Republic, 2 & 9 Dec. 2002

Many veterans, at first reluctant to speak, ultimately uncorked their emotions in a cathartic explosion. —Stanley Karnow, New York Times Book Review, 22 Nov. 1992

It provokes no healthy tears, whereas Cervantes never fails … to open the cathartic floodgates. —Anthony Burgess, Homage to Qwert Yuiop: Selected Journalism 1978-1985, 1986

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Was that a cathartic experience—thinking about what that symbolizes generally for a mother to a son, but then also specifically for Donna to Carmy? Very much cathartic. —Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 27 June 2025

Julia and Jock told me the event was cathartic, especially with everything going on: the ICE raids, the casual erasure of trans people. —Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 25 June 2025

Noun

Some people find free-writing in a journal cathartic. —Molly Longman, refinery29.com, 11 Jan. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Late Latin or Greek; Late Latin catharticus, from Greek kathartikos, from kathairein — see catharsis

First Known Use

Adjective

1612, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1651, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cathartic

• artic

Kids Definition

cathartic

noun

ca·​thar·​tic

kə-ˈthärt-ik

: a strong laxative

cathartic adjective

Medical Definition

cathartic

1 of 2 adjective

ca·​thar·​tic kə-ˈthärt-ik 

: of, relating to, or producing catharsis

cathartic

2 of 2 noun

: a cathartic medicine : purgative