cathartic

1 of 2

adjective

ca·​thar·​tic kə-ˈthär-tik How to pronounce cathartic (audio)
: of, relating to, or producing catharsis
cathartic drugs
a cathartic experience
cathartically adverb

cathartic

2 of 2

noun

ca·​thar·​tic kə-ˈthär-tik How to pronounce cathartic (audio)
: a medicine that causes the bowels to be purged (see purge entry 1 sense 2a) : purgative

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Word History of Catharsis and Cathartic

Catharsis and cathartic both trace to the Greek word kathairein, meaning “to cleanse, purge.” Catharsis entered English as a medical term having to do with purging the body—and especially the bowels—of unwanted material. The adjective cathartic entered English with a meaning descriptive of such a physically cleansing purge. It didn’t take long for people to start using these words figuratively in reference to emotional release and spiritual cleansing.

Examples of cathartic in a Sentence

Adjective There's something cathartic about a punch in the nose. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated, 28 Jan. 2002
But Vietnam is hard to sell as a tidy, cathartic morality tale of troubled times overcome. Jennifer Homans, New Republic, 2 & 9 Dec. 2002
Many veterans, at first reluctant to speak, ultimately uncorked their emotions in a cathartic explosion. Stanley Karnow, New York Times Book Review, 22 Nov. 1992
It provokes no healthy tears, whereas Cervantes never fails … to open the cathartic floodgates. Anthony Burgess, Homage to Qwert Yuiop: Selected Journalism 1978-1985, 1986
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
In place of her cathartic body thrashing, the musician settles into the discomfort of perception. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024 Now, Boyd says auctioning off these items is a cathartic process. Jack Guy, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024 LaPierre provided the public with a cathartic outlet, serving as either a hero or a villain. Mike Spies, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2024 The subject matter hit close to home, but filming became a cathartic experience for the father-son duo. Emily Krauser, Peoplemag, 15 Feb. 2024 The entire experience is always more frustrating than cathartic. Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 12 Feb. 2024 For Williams, making a movie in which no one worries whether grieving is palatable — a movie in which the reaction to death is aggressively, comically unpalatable — was cathartic. Melena Ryzik, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2024 The top categories were suspenseful, and the wins cathartic, occasionally historic. Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 5 Feb. 2024 And yet their meeting, cosmically assisted or not, ultimately proves openly conversational, even cathartic. Guy Lodge, Variety, 25 Jan. 2024
Noun
Some people find free-writing in a journal cathartic. Molly Longman, refinery29.com, 11 Jan. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cathartic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Late Latin or Greek; Late Latin catharticus, from Greek kathartikos, from kathairein — see catharsis

First Known Use

Adjective

1612, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1651, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cathartic was in 1612

Dictionary Entries Near cathartic

Cite this Entry

“Cathartic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cathartic. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cathartic

noun
ca·​thar·​tic
kə-ˈthärt-ik
: a strong laxative
cathartic adjective

Medical Definition

cathartic

1 of 2 adjective
ca·​thar·​tic kə-ˈthärt-ik How to pronounce cathartic (audio)
: of, relating to, or producing catharsis

cathartic

2 of 2 noun
: a cathartic medicine : purgative
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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