ca·thar·tic
kə-ˈthär-tik 
: of, relating to, or producing catharsis
cathartic drugs
a cathartic experience
: 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
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
Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
The director’s handling of mystical visions that haunt Ray is less than seamless, but his embrace of elemental forces is effective, particularly a hailstorm of near-biblical proportions that proves cathartic.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2025
With the support of the Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA), Basnyat has begun to share her story with others — and the process has been cathartic.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
The cathartic album came on the heels of their nomination for Best New Artist at last year’s Latin Grammys Awards.
—Lucas Villa, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
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Adjective
But vanquishing his demons against the team for which his on-field struggles were most highly publicized would be a cathartic endeavor.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
The director’s handling of mystical visions that haunt Ray is less than seamless, but his embrace of elemental forces is effective, particularly a hailstorm of near-biblical proportions that proves cathartic.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2025
With the support of the Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA), Basnyat has begun to share her story with others — and the process has been cathartic.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
The cathartic album came on the heels of their nomination for Best New Artist at last year’s Latin Grammys Awards.
—Lucas Villa, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Cite this Entry
“Cathartic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cathartic. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical 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
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