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
Zara Irshad, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Mar. 2026
In a year where Hamnet became a nexus point for cathartic weeping, Come See Me in the Good Light can stand tear duct–to–tear duct with anything the Bard could serve up.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
Add in Paul Mescal's solid turn as an absent Bard dad who deals with the loss in his own way, plus a cathartic final act, and director Chloé Zhao's gut-wrenching historical drama has a good chance of placing high on a lot of Oscar voters' lists.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
Advertisement Jisoo as Seo Mi-rae Courtesy of Netflix More specifically, Boyfriend on Demand is a meta exploration of how many women use story-worlds as a cathartic, sometimes productive escape from the monotony and demands of their offline routines.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Adjective
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
In a year where Hamnet became a nexus point for cathartic weeping, Come See Me in the Good Light can stand tear duct–to–tear duct with anything the Bard could serve up.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
Add in Paul Mescal's solid turn as an absent Bard dad who deals with the loss in his own way, plus a cathartic final act, and director Chloé Zhao's gut-wrenching historical drama has a good chance of placing high on a lot of Oscar voters' lists.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
Advertisement Jisoo as Seo Mi-rae Courtesy of Netflix More specifically, Boyfriend on Demand is a meta exploration of how many women use story-worlds as a cathartic, sometimes productive escape from the monotony and demands of their offline routines.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cathartic
Adjective
-
Between each dance was an excruciating silence during which network-TV producers monitored and reset their equipment while the men fidgeted onstage like excitable children.—
Rebecca Jennings,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Lego Galaxy hopes to draw visitors — and perhaps new audiences — by focusing on slicker, more modern technology and injecting in the park the sort of excitable ride more commonly found at Legoland’s Southern California competitors.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The planned execution of Thomas Creech in 2024 could not be carried out because a suitable vein could not be found to administer lethal drugs.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Police have arrested a man in connection with a fatal drug overdose in Fairfield in December.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Around this time Denise and Aaron filed a civil lawsuit against the City of Vallejo claiming defamation and emotional distress.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
An opportunity to rebuild your emotional foundation arrives as Saturn teams up with Pluto.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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
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Or merely the tall-tale purgative of a frantic Purgatorian?—
Tom Nolan,
WSJ,
11 June 2021
Adjective
-
The oil control remains an exciting proposition to control excess shine today for an intelligent matte coverage that adjusts with you.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Amazon's Spring Sale is almost at an end, but there are still some exciting deals for you!—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The trend also comes at a time when weight-loss medications are on the rise, more ultra-thin physiques appear to dominate red carpets and some social media users have built platforms off the outward pursuit of thinness.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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Why Powder Prices Keep Rising Whey protein powder prices have reached record highs over the last several years due to supply shortages and surging demand, partly driven by the explosion of GLP-1 weight-loss medications.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Heat is now an impressive 12-4 on the second night of back-to-backs this season.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
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There’s also an impressive range of side dishes made with seasonal vegetables.—
CNT Editors,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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To help your child stay safe, give their school an Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan signed by your child’s doctor, any school-specific forms required to give your child medicine, and epinephrine to treat potential reactions.—
Dr. Sonja O'Leary,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
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Despite the hype, many of the medicines on TrumpRx include brand-name drugs that patients can find cheaper elsewhere — as generics.—
Sydney Lupkin,
NPR,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cathartic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cathartic. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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