conversion therapy
noun
plural conversion therapies
: the use of any of various methods (such as aversive stimulation or religious counseling) in an attempt to change a person's sexual orientation to heterosexual or to change a person's gender identity to correspond to the sex the person was identified as having at birth
Note: Conversion therapy is generally regarded as having no scientific basis and as being both ineffective and harmful.
Conversion therapy is both pointless and painful. At its best, it can inflict considerable psychological damage on a child without changing their sexual orientation or gender identity whatsoever. At its worst, it can lead to suicide …—
Samantha Allen
Samantha AllenMomentum has been building in legislative sessions this spring for the bans, which prohibit state-licensed mental health professionals from practicing conversion therapy for anyone under 18.—Susan Miller
Susan Millercalled also reparative therapy
Examples of conversion therapy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Mainstream medical groups condemn the practice and Colorado banned conversion therapy for minors, though the law faces a challenge at the Supreme Court.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 1 June 2025
But some 13% of LGBTQ+ young people in the Trevor Project's 2024 report on the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth reported being threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy.
—Avery Lotz, Axios, 10 Mar. 2025
Politics Supreme Court will hear free-speech challenge to ‘conversion therapy’ bans in California, Colorado
March 10, 2025
The Supreme Court’s most famous ruling on student rights arose during the Vietnam War.
—David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
The platform also bans the promotion of conversion therapy.
—Abby Monteil, Them., 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for conversion therapy
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.
Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 1 June 2025
But some 13% of LGBTQ+ young people in the Trevor Project's 2024 report on the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth reported being threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy.
—Avery Lotz, Axios, 10 Mar. 2025
Politics Supreme Court will hear free-speech challenge to ‘conversion therapy’ bans in California, Colorado
March 10, 2025
The Supreme Court’s most famous ruling on student rights arose during the Vietnam War.
—David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
The platform also bans the promotion of conversion therapy.
—Abby Monteil, Them., 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for conversion therapy
Cite this Entry
“Conversion therapy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conversion%20therapy. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share