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
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2026
After letting out a cathartic scream, Madigan giggled.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 15 Mar. 2026
These plays are often brilliant, and even lesser variants are fun to watch, because piñata-whacking itself is a naughty thrill, a cathartic fantasy for anyone with a family and/or a secret.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
Centering on a cathartic four-year relationship, her new material encompasses the contrast between fantasy and reality as Mark grapples with larger existential questions about love.
—Zara Irshad, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Adjective
The weekend took on a healing, cathartic ceremonial nature that is difficult to put into words.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2026
After letting out a cathartic scream, Madigan giggled.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 15 Mar. 2026
These plays are often brilliant, and even lesser variants are fun to watch, because piñata-whacking itself is a naughty thrill, a cathartic fantasy for anyone with a family and/or a secret.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
Centering on a cathartic four-year relationship, her new material encompasses the contrast between fantasy and reality as Mark grapples with larger existential questions about love.
—Zara Irshad, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cathartic
Adjective
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An unexpected collaboration opportunity is very possible under today’s trine between excitable Mars and erratic Uranus.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
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At the Ricardo residence in the ’50s sitcom I Love Lucy, over-the-top housewife Lucy and Ricky, her excitable husband, were always getting into some sort of entertaining hijinks.—
Michael Gioia,
Architectural Digest,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But the company is monitoring how many patients increase to higher doses of the drug, particularly the 9-mg and 25-mg versions.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
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Minnesota legalized drug paraphernalia in 2023.—
Ashley Grams,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Is there an emotional component for you at this moment?—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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From the opening scene of the family’s move to town, the soft and wistful light shapes the film’s emotional world.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
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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Everyday outings, like going to the grocery store, are exciting adventures for him.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
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In an interview with STAT, Nedergaard, who is also affiliated with the University of Copenhagen, explained some of the exciting implications of her research, including its possible application for better tools to screen for — and combat — neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s.—
Amanda Erickson,
STAT,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The defense has noted that Clancy, a labor and delivery nurse, had been prescribed 15 medications in the months prior for her postpartum depression.—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
8 Apr. 2026
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Authorities later executed multiple search warrants and collected items from the home, including exercise bands, medications, electronic devices, notebooks, clothing and a knife.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Launching a plane into space and then landing it on a runway with all the crew remaining in there still feels technologically impressive.—
Letters to the Editor,
Washington Post,
7 Apr. 2026
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That’s impressive production for the 6-foot-2, 234-pound defender.—
Mike Kaye
April 6,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This could apply to writing projects, study, publishing, the law or medicine.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
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The flat logistic curve that makes the rising tide gradual also means the final climb toward 99%-plus reliability is a long one, a meaningful buffer for error-intolerant professions in law, medicine, and engineering.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cathartic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cathartic. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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