cathartic 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of catharticnext
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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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.

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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
Running shifted from simply fitness exercise into a more powerful, cathartic force. — Brian Anthony Hernandez, PEOPLE, 17 Aug. 2026 Writer-director Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain, NYFF62), who also wrote the show’s music and lyrics, keeps things expertly balanced on a knife’s edge between musical theater satire and cathartic character study. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026 So there’s something really cathartic about watching Ulf — the lowliest, most base, comedic and ludicrous of all the Targaryens and dragonriders — beating him. — Matt Minton, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026 Back in the Big Easy, that victory ignited cathartic, rapturous celebrations and set the stage for a victory parade as wild and well-attended as any held during Mardi Gras. — ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cathartic
  1. excitable
  2. drug
  3. emotional
  4. purgative
  5. exciting
  6. medication
  7. impressive
  8. medicine
Adjective
  • Shaffelburg’s boundless enthusiasm and high work rate led one LAFC staffer to liken him to an excitable golden retriever, a comparison the player did not challenge.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • That’s where Barkley came in, an excitable, friendly yellow lab who is obsessed with balls and could sniff out a green tennis ball in an entire stadium of purple ones.
    — Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of excitable
Noun
  • Grande became the face of an ongoing conversation around health, and the cultural pendulum swing away from body positivity to the glorification of thinness, ignited by the proliferation of weight-loss drugs.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Researchers spent decades trying to target a group of mutations called RAS — responsible for nearly a third of all human cancers — but the protein’s flat shape defied typical drugs.
    — Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of drug
Adjective
  • Rather than just a reproductive issue, endometriosis is a whole-body condition, affecting everything from emotional regulation to hormone production and gut health.
    — Bella Webb, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The song, famously written by Parton as an emotional farewell to her mentor Porter Wagoner and his show, topped the country chart in 1974.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 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
  • May 19 Just three months before her death, Panettiere releases her candid memoir detailing the progression of a once-exciting, new relationship that quickly escalated into years of domestic violence.
    — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Romero holds a 17-2 record with 13 KOs, while Lopez stands at 22-2 with 13 KOs, promising an exciting clash.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of exciting
Noun
  • For now, Neda, a 34-year-old Tehran resident struggling with kidney disease and needing medication, is holding her breath as she is once again forced to buy only half of her monthly dose.
    — Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Clancy then ingested prescription medication, slashed her wrists and neck with a knife, and apparently threw herself head first out of a second-story window, resulting in permanent paralysis from the sternum down.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of medication
Adjective
  • The most impressive trick Paranormal Activity pulls off is making an entire theater — devotees and newcomers alike — afraid to look away, and giving them one hell of a good time while doing it.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The ingredients are impressive, but the shopper reviews are even better.
    — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of impressive
Noun
  • Prosecutors allege Clancy planned the killings by sending her husband to pick up takeout food and medicine, then, while he was gone, strangled the children with exercise bands.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Vanessa graduated from Florida International University, completed medical school, and entered a three-year emergency-medicine residency program at a South Florida hospital.
    — Tania Francois, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of medicine

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Cite this Entry

“Cathartic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cathartic. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cathartic

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cathartic

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