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

Momentum 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

called also reparative therapy

Examples of conversion therapy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Written and directed by Adrian Chiarella, the buzzy low-budget horror film is about two teen boys who meet at conversion therapy. — Jake Coyle, Fortune, 22 June 2026

Adrian Chiarella wrote and directed the low-budget film, which follows two teen boys who meet at conversion therapy. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 21 June 2026

This has since taken on cult classic status, but when it was released in 1999, audiences had no idea what to make of this campy satire set at a lesbian conversion therapy camp. — Staff Report, Oc Register, 21 June 2026

Written and directed by Adrian Chiarella, the buzzy low-budget horror film is about two teen boys who meet at conversion therapy. — Jake Coyle, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for conversion therapy

• immunotherapy
• pharmacotherapy
• physiotherapy
• radiotherapy
• brachytherapy
• chemotherapy
• cryotherapy
• hydrotherapy
• hypnotherapy
• monotherapy
• phototherapy
• psychotherapy