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
It was meant to be a moving, cathartic experience for all involved. — Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026 Just sitting in a room with so many other people sharing the same experiences was cathartic. — Beth Hawkins, Denver Post, 15 Sep. 2026 Talking through messy emotions is cathartic as the moon harmonizes with Chiron. — Usa Today, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026 To Morrison, as well as to the filmmakers, this awful backstory makes something cathartic of his accomplishment. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Sep. 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
  • Kalind, the younger brother of a bonobo named Kevin, was the more excitable and playful of the two.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, Deanna is a proud mother of three and an excitable introvert.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of excitable
Noun
  • Years ago, that area was nothing but warehouses with a lot of drugs, crime and prostitution.
    — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
  • For perspective, 41% goes to coverage of other brand-name specialty drugs taken by 6,500 employees.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of drug
Adjective
  • Simultaneously, Fumiko and Emi cross paths at the library, where the revelation that the family at least tangentially responsible for her son’s death now have an adorable little sprog of their own, threatens to send Emi into an emotional tailspin.
    — James Marsh, Variety, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The film also conjures the same terrifying fears as the book with its haunting musical score, set design, camera angles, and the emotional performances of Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, and Scatman Crothers.
    — Radhika Seth, Vogue, 29 Oct. 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
  • Perhaps less exciting is the fact her failures are more than just the flawed Edison machine.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The radio series takes in interviews with academic hormone specialists, including the team at Imperial College in London who are conducting some of the most exciting and innovative research in this area.
    — Gavin Francis, The New York Review of Books, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of exciting
Noun
  • Awaiting news Banda had just started a new cancer-targeting medication that cost $16,000 a month, reduced to $500 by insurance.
    — Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Physician visits and medication for pain management added another $1,000.
    — Lance B. Fulford, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of medication
Adjective
  • Larsson recorded 17 points, six rebounds and eight assists while posting an impressive plus/minus of plus 12 in 31 minutes off the bench.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026
  • For a lot of people this spring, the question is no longer how to make the yard look impressive.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of impressive
Noun
  • Seniors deserve affordable medicines, dependable service, and the freedom to choose the pharmacy options that work best for them.
    — L. Prather McKinnon, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2026
  • How remibrutinib works Remibrutinib belongs to a class of medicines known as BTK inhibitors, which aim to reduce the immune system activity that damages nerves in MS patients.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 30 Oct. 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 1 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cathartic

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cathartic

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