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
Okla Jones, Essence, 30 Jan. 2026
No redemptive speechifying or cathartic waterworks here, just life carrying on with a slightly heavier tread.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Her revenge is bloody and melodramatic, which Thompson, who also produced His & Hers through her Viva Maude banner, found cathartic.
—Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026
In the modern landscape, there could be something enjoyably cathartic about letting a chat bot be the big bad our hero has to take down.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Adjective
For a lot of artists, musicians specifically, music can be cathartic for them.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 30 Jan. 2026
No redemptive speechifying or cathartic waterworks here, just life carrying on with a slightly heavier tread.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Her revenge is bloody and melodramatic, which Thompson, who also produced His & Hers through her Viva Maude banner, found cathartic.
—Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026
In the modern landscape, there could be something enjoyably cathartic about letting a chat bot be the big bad our hero has to take down.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cathartic
Adjective
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By 1984, each of the British new wave gods’ first three albums had gone platinum, their cinematic videos were regularly rotated on MTV, and nonstop global touring attracted Swiftian levels of excitable fans.—
A.D. Amorosi,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2026
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The venue was crammed with excitable 20- and 30-something women, among them Willa Bennett, the editor of Cosmopolitan and Seventeen.—
Carrie Battan,
Vulture,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In a 2014 editorial, the Times argued the federal ban on the drug should be repealed, and the decision should be left up to the individual states.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
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Last year, his administration announced a series of deals with pharmaceutical companies to lower prices of a few dozen drugs, including some eye-popping decreases of anywhere from 55 to 98 percent.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Testimony is also likely to include emotional stories from those who were in the school that day.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
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Romero does not have the tactical or emotional discipline required to be an effective captain.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 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
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The park offers one of the most exciting wildlife experiences in Southern Africa, with a million acres of biodiverse savannas, wetlands, and montane rainforests, and a range of animals that includes buffalo herds, lion prides, and an array of birds.—
Lisa Grainger,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Feb. 2026
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That changed two years ago, when the ISU lifted its ban in a bid to make the sport more exciting and popular among younger fans.—
Fernanda Figueroa,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Nancy Guthrie, who is 84, relies on a specific medication for her health, giving the investigation some urgency, according to her family and investigators.—
Molly Parks,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Feb. 2026
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Commonly used medications for infertility, COPD, asthma, dermatitis, hot flashes and osteoporosis are also included.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That’s impressive for a rebuilding team, but is anyone picking the Ducks over the Oilers in a playoff series?—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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The seven others are an impressive array of politicians and nonpoliticians alike, all articulate and accomplished in various ways.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That deal would enable free trade on almost all goods between the EU's 27 members and India, covering everything from textiles to medicines and bringing down high import taxes for European wine and cars.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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When to use a neti pot In modern medicine, nasal irrigation through neti pots and other methods such as squeeze bottles and bulb syringes are widely recognized as a supportive therapy for sinus and nasal symptoms.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cathartic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cathartic. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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