CATHARTIC Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

cathartic 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of cathartic

as in excitable

bringing about a relief from strong emotions usually by expressing them It was very cathartic to finally tell my childhood bully exactly what I thought of him.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

cathartic

2 of 2

noun

as in drug

a substance used to induce or speed up the process of defecation Epsom salts, when ingested, act as a cathartic.

Related Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of cathartic

Adjective

Talking through messy emotions is cathartic as the moon harmonizes with Chiron. — Usa Today, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026 To Morrison, as well as to the filmmakers, this awful backstory makes something cathartic of his accomplishment. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 But this year’s Mile also ended up being a cathartic experience for attendees. — Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2026 Ross’ music eschews the cathartic function of a lot of classic heartland rock, maybe because his lyric-writing is fairly literary and terse. — Shaad D’souza, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cathartic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cathartic

Adjective

Kalind, the younger brother of a bonobo named Kevin, was the more excitable and playful of the two.

— J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026
Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, Deanna is a proud mother of three and an excitable introvert.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of excitable

Noun

Ramsey is one of TV’s hottest actors right now, with previous roles including the fiery Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones, survivalist Ellie in The Last of Us and drug addict Kelsey in Time.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
In bidding to halt Howard's execution, his attorneys had filed a motion hours earlier before the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals raising concerns about the quality of Texas' execution drugs.

— JAMIE STENGLE, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of drug

Adjective

Mercury in your 8th House quincunxes Saturn in your sign, bringing private concerns, trust, money, or emotional expectations up against your personal limits.

— Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Oct. 2026
Combining comedy and emotional depth with neurodiversity representation at its core, the film, which reached over 4 million viewers on its release on ARD, is an uplifting story of family, second chances and connection.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of emotional

Noun

Sales of purgatives, tonics, syrups and patent medicines like Carter’s Little Liver Pills went through the roof as ordinary people were encouraged to closely monitor the frequency and quality of their bowel movements.

— Elsa Richardson, TIME, 3 Oct. 2024
The persistent and sickening violence of Detroit could work as a powerful purgative, a corrective medicine for deprogramming those who doubt the reality of police brutality.

— Josephine Livingstone, New Republic, 8 Aug. 2017

Definition of purgative

Adjective

More hotels are expected from exciting names in hospitality like Edition, W, and Rocco Forte—just in time too, as Milan will co-host the winter Olympics in 2026, a duty shared with the ski town of Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
There is always more to do; often more exciting, more rewarding, more fruitful work, thanks to technology.

— Ali Kashani, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of exciting

Noun

These medications include blood thinner, insulin, chemotherapy drugs, and opioid pain medication.

— Esha Desai, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
That means doctors don’t have a definitive answer for families when asked how long their child might need to stay on the medications, or what the long-term effects might be.

— Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of medication

Noun

The discoveries that will change medicine a generation from now are probably being chased today by people asking questions no one else sees the value of yet.

— Robert C. Gallo, STAT, 9 Oct. 2026
Various parts of the plant have been used in traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda to treat conditions including headaches, colic, dropsy, rheumatism, nervous agitation, constipation, dyspepsia, and infections of the eye and throat.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of medicine

Browse Nearby Words

catfights

cathartic

cathartics

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cathartic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cathartic. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of cathartic

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on cathartic

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

galore

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes