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
David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Expressing your feelings is cathartic when the sun squares Pluto.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Watching the roommates experience that day was heartbreaking, cathartic, and absolutely unforgettable.
—Breanne L. Heldman, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Oct. 2025
There was something cathartic in that.
—Junnelle Hogen, Outside, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Adjective
Horror seems cathartic, or psychically protective—a safe ritual that admits the reality of violence and cruelty while also warding it off, like a ceremonial demon mask.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Expressing your feelings is cathartic when the sun squares Pluto.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Watching the roommates experience that day was heartbreaking, cathartic, and absolutely unforgettable.
—Breanne L. Heldman, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Oct. 2025
There was something cathartic in that.
—Junnelle Hogen, Outside, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cathartic
Adjective
-
Don Phillips, the casting director, was an excitable character who put his whole heart into finding new faces.—
Cameron Crowe,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The text is excitable and wayward, while many of the photographs are dramatically dull.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Campaign ads, showing images of flash-mob robberies, promised voters that harsher penalties would put an end to basic items being locked away in display cases and funnel people repeatedly arrested for drug offenses in treatment.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
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While administration officials have avoided overtly saying their goal is regime change — Trump has focused his public remarks on fighting drug cartels — the ultimate goal of democratizing Venezuela, and the resulting investment benefits, are front and center in investors’ minds.—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Some do not have the emotional wherewithal to to observe that others have needs as well.—
Joni Eareckson Tada,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Players, coaches, executives and ownership groups have come and gone, but the team remains despite a lengthy and emotional relocation saga that nearly resulted in a move to Seattle.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
25 Oct. 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
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Or merely the tall-tale purgative of a frantic Purgatorian?—
Tom Nolan,
WSJ,
11 June 2021
Adjective
-
Shirley Valentine serves as an escape for those who envision a life more exciting, a fact to which Collins attributed its success.—
Lisa de los Reyes,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Nov. 2025
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Surveying the broader landscape of AI benchmarks, Mahdi said researchers and developers have many exciting avenues to explore.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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For years, millions of Americans have been priced out of these medications.—
Nicholas Florko,
The Atlantic,
7 Nov. 2025
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The link between hypertension and decline in brain health requires further investigation, specifically the impact of blood-pressure-lowering medications on brain function.—
Colleen Doherty,
Verywell Health,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Brazil is set to introduce an ambitious and innovative new system for financing forest protection (more on that below) and Lula comes into COP30 with an impressive record of successful forest protection.—
Jeff Young,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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From the facade crafted from hinoki wood, a rare cypress that’s often reserved for Japanese temples and shrines, to impressive cultural programming and exhibitions, there’s always something worth seeing.—
Jade Moyano,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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More generally, the objectives of AI are determined by those with social power, whether that is in the criminal justice system, in education, in medicine, or in the secret police forces of autocratic surveillance states.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Kimberly-Clark has been attempting to challenge the dominance of consumer goliath Procter & Gamble, whose business spans all drugstore aisles, including cold and digestion medicines.—
NPR,
NPR,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cathartic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cathartic. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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