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
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 15 Dec. 2025
Violet’s parents had graciously chosen not to read it, which had spared us all a few embarrassing conversations, but their abstention had also deprived me of a cathartic victory over them for not believing in me.
—Andrew Martin, New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2025
But whether for a book or a short piece, that stage has been necessary to getting me to the second, cathartic phase of spilling the words onto the page.
—Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
Though none of the three friends had ever made wreaths before, Roth says the project became unexpectedly cathartic.
—Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Adjective
The result is a film that openly manipulates its viewers, toggling between Christmas magic and cathartic brutality — including a deliberately crowd-pleasing Nazi massacre — to secure audience allegiance.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 15 Dec. 2025
Violet’s parents had graciously chosen not to read it, which had spared us all a few embarrassing conversations, but their abstention had also deprived me of a cathartic victory over them for not believing in me.
—Andrew Martin, New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2025
But whether for a book or a short piece, that stage has been necessary to getting me to the second, cathartic phase of spilling the words onto the page.
—Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
Though none of the three friends had ever made wreaths before, Roth says the project became unexpectedly cathartic.
—Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cathartic
Adjective
-
And while her personality — playful, curious, excitable — certainly comes through, these calls are dominated by interruptions.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Even though this is a super chill and calm Full Moon, the energy can be excitable and erratic for most of us, due to the proximity of the Moon to the Earth.—
Lisa Stardust,
Refinery29,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The driver of the truck, a 40-year-old man, was not hurt and will be subject to drug and alcohol testing, which police say is standard procedure.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Such advances are particularly valuable in drug discovery, where precise molecular design is essential, as well as in the development of advanced materials and agrochemicals.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
That increase has come with a financial strain and emotional stress for families across the country and in North Carolina.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Her relationship with Kerr hits several bumps, giving Blunt the chance to showcase her emotional range in tense scenes.—
Eric Andersson,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 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
-
Or merely the tall-tale purgative of a frantic Purgatorian?—
Tom Nolan,
WSJ,
11 June 2021
Adjective
-
This season already has plenty of exciting acting talents to spot on the red carpets—including frontrunners such as Chase Infiniti, Renate Reinsve, and Rose Byrne.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Craft service had Cinnabons — that was exciting.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The most famous, perhaps, was of lung cancer patient David Prueitt, who swallowed a supposedly lethal dose of medication and awoke three days later.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Anyone with diabetes or taking glucose-lowering medications should consult a healthcare provider before adding magnesium, berberine, or both to their management plan.—
Morgan Pearson,
Verywell Health,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This impressive deal only applies to the six-piece set, which includes five compression packing cubes and one drawstring bag in select colors.—
Emily Belfiore,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
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Joseph’s most recent work in Denver, however, happens to be some of the most impressive as the unit ranked second in total defense, third in scoring and in the top-ten against both the run and pass.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Naltrexone is available with a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider, such as a primary care doctor, addiction medicine specialist or psychiatrist.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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She's been vocal about the unique needs of helping the BIPOC population, which often lacked access to or trust in traditional medicine.—
Laurie Perez,
CBS News,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cathartic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cathartic. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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