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
Did you know?
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
Andy Jones, New York Times, 6 July 2025
And then comes a profound emotional earthquake of an ending, one that is cathartic and perfect in every way.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 4 July 2025
Molly Longman, refinery29.com, 11 Jan. 2021
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
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
For some players, football will be cathartic — a release from dark thoughts.
—Andy Jones, New York Times, 6 July 2025
And then comes a profound emotional earthquake of an ending, one that is cathartic and perfect in every way.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 4 July 2025
Noun
Some people find free-writing in a journal cathartic.
—Molly Longman, refinery29.com, 11 Jan. 2021
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Cite this Entry
“Cathartic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cathartic. Accessed 14 Jul. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share