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.
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as in drug
a substance used to induce or speed up the process of defecation
Epsom salts, when ingested, act as a cathartic.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cathartic
Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 27 Feb. 2025
Eventually the two sounds will meet in the middle, with affecting and even cathartic results.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025
Molly Longman, refinery29.com, 11 Jan. 2021
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Adjective
Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and an assist, and forwards who don’t skate on his line added a couple of insurance tallies in a cathartic win after rough back-to-back losses coming out of the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off break.
—Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 27 Feb. 2025
Eventually the two sounds will meet in the middle, with affecting and even cathartic results.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
Some people find free-writing in a journal cathartic.
—Molly Longman, refinery29.com, 11 Jan. 2021
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cathartic
Adjective
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Star is probably the most excitable person in the history of the show.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
27 Feb. 2025
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Something that had been anticipated for a while finally went down Wednesday night, adding to the already excitable atmosphere pulsating throughout Crypto.com Arena.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Lilly’s chief rival in the GLP-1 drug class Novo Nordisk was getting hit harder, down almost 10%, after releasing another batch of trial results looking at its next-generation weight-loss treatment called CagriSema.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
10 Mar. 2025
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From drug discovery and clinical decision support to personalized treatment planning and administrative efficiency, healthcare has emerged as one of AI’s most promising and impactful application domains, with potential benefits for providers, patients, and healthcare systems alike.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This album has this emotional journey of extreme loss attached to it.—
Katie Bain,
Billboard,
7 Mar. 2025
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Yes, machines can handle impressive data processing and pattern recognition at scale, yet humans contribute emotional resonance, holistic thinking, and ethical judgment.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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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
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Or merely the tall-tale purgative of a frantic Purgatorian?—
Tom Nolan,
WSJ,
11 June 2021
Adjective
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Spread across 55 acres, the estate has become one of England’s most exciting wine producers, turning out crisp still and sparkling wines that rival Champagne.—
Lela London,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
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The rise of women-only travel experiences means there are now more opportunities to explore the world in a way that feels empowering and exciting and, to be real—downright liberating.—
Tykesha Spivey Burton,
Essence,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Common pain medication could reduce cancer spread, study finds.—
Fox News,
Fox News,
12 Mar. 2025
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A number of conditions and medications can impede the testing process.—
Fiorella Valdesolo,
TIME,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Carriacou also has an impressive lineup of events throughout the year, including its own Carnival celebration every February and a famed regatta, giving travelers plenty of reasons to hop on the ferry or flight from Grenada. Petite Martinique The island of Petite Martinique is, indeed, petite.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Mar. 2025
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Schultz and Smith both pitched three impressive scoreless innings in their two Cactus League outings.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
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All of this — new medicines, new jobs, new opportunities for kids — is too important to lose.—
Megan Barkdull,
Orlando Sentinel,
16 Mar. 2025
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Although the secretary of state and Elon Musk have assured the public that the new administration’s actions have not disrupted the distribution of life-saving medicine, that just isn’t true.—
John Green,
The Atlantic,
15 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cathartic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cathartic. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.
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