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
Rolling Stone, 30 May 2025
But McCarthy wants no part in creating some sort of cathartic healing story around Journalism.
—Dana O'Neil, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Molly Longman, refinery29.com, 11 Jan. 2021
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Something Beautiful, Lorde bares her truth in a cathartic song from her forthcoming Virgin, and Haim step back into the past with a punchy retro-rocker.
—Rolling Stone, 30 May 2025
But McCarthy wants no part in creating some sort of cathartic healing story around Journalism.
—Dana O'Neil, New York Times, 1 May 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 16 Jun. 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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