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
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
Dave Quinn, People.com, 5 June 2025
This bled into the album’s dizzying synths, cathartic confessions, and capsule-like storytelling.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 11 June 2025
Molly Longman, refinery29.com, 11 Jan. 2021
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Adjective
And while playing through that trauma might be challenging, tapping into Helen’s unraveling was cathartic, Simard says.
—Dave Quinn, People.com, 5 June 2025
This bled into the album’s dizzying synths, cathartic confessions, and capsule-like storytelling.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 11 June 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
-
In 2023 and the first months of 2024, his name cropped up in a lot of excitable articles in the Rio de Janeiro press.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
-
The telling of the entire story of America, after all, calls into question the greatness that Donald Trump pledges to restore, and agitates a base that remains threatened and excitable by our multicultural reality.—
Kevin Sack,
Time,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
Several personal assistants were tasked with setting up the red lights and candles, delivering baby oil, and sometimes picking up and delivering drugs and thousands of dollars in cash for freak-offs.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
26 June 2025
-
Why Specialty Clinics Feel The Pain First Specialty clinics face a perfect storm of challenges: high-cost drugs, evolving payer policies and thousands of diagnosis and procedure codes that need to match up precisely.—
Sally Ragab,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
23 June 2025
-
Companies with genuinely supportive cultures describe their environment in specific terms, highlighting concrete benefits, career development opportunities and clear advancement paths rather than relying on emotional language.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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
-
Or merely the tall-tale purgative of a frantic Purgatorian?—
Tom Nolan,
WSJ,
11 June 2021
Adjective
-
The jungle backdrop, unique architecture, exciting food scene, and turquoise ocean views make Tulum an incredibly romantic place for couples to escape.—
Shelby Wax,
Vogue,
24 June 2025
-
So many brands are putting the red in red, white, and blue with exciting price cuts this July 4th.—
Averi Baudler,
People.com,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
The plaintiffs specifically took issue with the task force's recommendation in June 2019 that PrEP, a medication to prevent HIV, be included in the preventive services covered without cost-sharing arrangements.—
June 27,
CBS News,
27 June 2025
-
Research has shown that medications prescribed for individuals with ADHS were associated with lower risks of self-harm and accidents, demonstrating the importance of proper medical treatment in overall safety and well-being.—
Doc Louallen,
ABC News,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Bailey flashed a sweet jumper and impressive athleticism but struggled with his shot selection and had more turnovers than assists.—
Mike Vorkunov,
New York Times,
26 June 2025
-
The actors were so impressive in the depth of their research—Joshua actually had made this incredible scrapbook with photographs and newspaper articles.—
Rosemary Counter,
Time,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are also working on oral GLP-1 medicines.—
Rachel Fieldhouse,
Scientific American,
1 July 2025
-
So, cannabis is a medicine, People need to have access to it.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cathartic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cathartic. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share