therapy

noun

ther·a·py | \ ˈther-ə-pē

plural therapies

Definition of therapy

1 : therapeutic medical treatment of impairment, injury, disease, or disorder The number of new patients treated for end-stage renal disease … with dialysis or renal transplantation has continued to rise exponentially with an 8.4% annualized growth rate reaching more than 160,000 patients undergoing therapy in the United States in 1989.— Friedrich K. Port — see also art therapy, chelation therapy, chemotherapy, chemotherapy, gene therapy, hormone therapy, music therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, shock therapy, speech therapy

2 : psychotherapy Furthermore, the psychotherapist knows that all actions in therapy are messages that need be decoded and understood regardless of the 'language' the patient uses.— Bruno Bettelheim and Alvin A. Rosenfeld

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Examples of therapy in a Sentence

He is undergoing cancer therapy. talking over my problem with you has been good therapy

Recent Examples on the Web

Clearly—though the movie keeps explaining it with crazy-making frequency—the village is both a spontaneous program of self-therapy and an art installation, which Mark photographs obsessively. — Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, "‘Welcome to Marwen’ Review: An Excess of Fantasy," 20 Dec. 2018 Both are worth speaking to your doctor about, and treatment can include diet changes, psychosocial therapies, and other lifestyle changes, reports the Cleveland Clinic. — Colleen Stinchcombe, Woman's Day, "Why Am I Always Bloated?," 29 Oct. 2018 This is a modification of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and really calms me down. — Corinne Werder, Teen Vogue, "6 Self-Care Tips for Sexual Assault Survivors," 27 Sep. 2018 Getty ImagesStephane Cardinale - Corbis Following the promotional tour of her new film A Simple Favor in Paris, Blake Lively took some much needed me time, which included retail therapy and a fashion show. — Marina Liao, Marie Claire, "Blake Lively Paired a Nude Bodysuit With Her Daring Floral Dress," 25 Sep. 2018 Additionally, building in a steam generator, adding temperature therapy, and playing music in the shower can make the experience even more relaxing than a spa. — Taylor Mead, House Beautiful, "13 Ways To Make Even The Tiniest Bathroom Feel Like A Spa," 21 Aug. 2018 Stark’s words led to continual protests and debates over gay conversion therapy and ultimately helped shut down Refuge. — Stephen Daw, Billboard, "Chloe Grace Moretz Rebels Through Conversion Therapy in 'The Miseducation of Cameron Post' Trailer," 10 July 2018 Balakrishna is working to improve her mental health through the student organization, therapy, and a service dog. — Laura Krantz, BostonGlobe.com, "Mental health is a college stumbling block. For students of color, it can be a wall," 10 July 2018 By extracting a woman’s ovarian tissue prior to cancer therapy and stripping it of malignant cells, Pors was able to preserve enough functionality to support the growth and maintenance of human follicles, which carry immature eggs. — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian, "How Artificial Ovaries Could Expand Fertility Options For Chemo Patients," 5 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'therapy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.