cathartic

1 of 2

adjective

ca·​thar·​tic kə-ˈthär-tik How to pronounce cathartic (audio)
: of, relating to, or producing catharsis
cathartic drugs
a cathartic experience
cathartically 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
There’s a fear of being misunderstood, but there’s also a cathartic freedom. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025 That truth feels at least as cathartic, in its own gallows-wisdom way, as a big farewell party. Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025 And that's very fun and cathartic to do. H. Alan Scott, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025 The latter may scoff at the idea of a nostalgic horror movie, but anyone who's had the urge to peek through their fingers as nightmares unfold in front of them knows that fear can be both cathartic and illuminating. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cathartic

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of cathartic was in 1612

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Cite this Entry

“Cathartic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cathartic. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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 How to pronounce cathartic (audio)
: of, relating to, or producing catharsis

cathartic

2 of 2 noun
: a cathartic medicine : purgative
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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