therapist

noun

ther·​a·​pist ˈther-ə-pist 

1

: an individual specializing in the therapeutic medical treatment of impairment, injury, disease, or disorder

especially : a health care professional trained in methods of treatment and rehabilitation other than the use of drugs or surgery

These simple range-of-motion exercises are often prescribed by physical, occupational, or hand therapists for people with hand OA [=osteoarthritis].

—Food & Fitness Advisor

To help the baby interact with his family, a speech therapist taught everyone—including Justin's twin brother, Jeffery—hand signals and games.

—Michele Blecher

2

: a practitioner of psychotherapy : a psychotherapist

Again, it is important for the therapist to recognize that regression is normative due to the extreme stress of separation and divorce.

—Nathan W. Turner

Examples of therapist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Murphy tries to wring everything out of this showcase, in both his solo turns and his exchanges with Tracey Ullman’s fellow supervisor and Emily Watson’s in-house therapist. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2025

Licensed therapists shouldn’t be able to abuse their position of trust to push an agenda that causes long-lasting harm to kids and families. —Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025

Cast members can choose their own therapists. —Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025

But the change also ups the pressure on Meta to prevent personal or difficult conversations with the AI — for example, about a relationship, given how many people now use chatbots like therapists — from prompting potentially harmful content recommendations. —Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing therapist

• behavioral therapist
• massage therapist
• physical therapist

Rhymes for therapist

• physiotherapist
• psychotherapist

Kids Definition

therapist

noun

ther·​a·​pist ˈther-ə-pəst 

: a person who specializes in therapy

especially : a person trained in methods of treatment other than the use of drugs or surgery

a speech therapist

Medical Definition

therapist

noun

ther·​a·​pist ˈther-ə-pəst 

: a person specializing in therapy

especially : one trained in methods of treatment and rehabilitation other than the use of drugs or surgery