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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in drug
a substance used to induce or speed up the process of defecation
Epsom salts, when ingested, act as a cathartic.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cathartic
Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2025
That was definitely exhausting to exert that much emotion, but also really cathartic.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 9 May 2025
Molly Longman, refinery29.com, 11 Jan. 2021
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Adjective
The resident librarian takes Corby under her wing, and invites him to put his artist skills to work by painting a mural, which proves cathartic.
—Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2025
That was definitely exhausting to exert that much emotion, but also really cathartic.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 9 May 2025
Noun
Some people find free-writing in a journal cathartic.
—Molly Longman, refinery29.com, 11 Jan. 2021
See All Example Sentences for cathartic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cathartic
Adjective
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Anyone familiar with the world of the Grateful Dead knows that one of the band’s most devoted and excitable fans was the late Bill Walton, the illustrious Hall of Fame NBA center who died in May 2024 at 71.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
15 May 2025
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Groups of excitable teenage boys waited their turn to play EA FC on a bank of massive flat screen TVs.—
James Montague,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
Noun
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The new book picks up a decade later with a different crisis, this one born of a sudden increase in drugs.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
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This is aimed at encouraging more employers to offer coverage of the drugs.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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What To Know Dixon, who has lived in the U.S. for 50 years after arriving from the Philippines at age 14, was emotional following her release.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
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Doyle, dressed in a black suit, looked emotional as he was brought into the courtroom from his cell, according to a PA Media reporter following proceedings.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
30 May 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
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McVay has his top tight end group in a while, an exciting prospect for the coach’s football chess options.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2025
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The latter star has landed a number of hits throughout the past few years by repurposing melodies and interpolating hooks from older, familiar smashes by other artists, reworking them into something exciting and new for a different audience.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
Noun
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The article says that Harket has been dealing with the condition through medication and through advanced brain surgery at the Mayo Clinic.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
4 June 2025
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This means nurses can focus their energy on what matters most – caring for patients – while robots handle tasks such as delivering medication or guiding visitors around the hospital.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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The Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with impressive architecture and a foundation dating back to the 13th century.—
Carlsen Jes,
Travel + Leisure,
1 June 2025
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There was nearly a fourth as well, though rookie Kristian Campbell was able to make an impressive backhanded grab in shallow right with his back to the infield in the bottom of the fourth.—
Mac Cerullo,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2025
Noun
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Vitale, who is planning a career in medicine, received the award in New Hampshire with former Chargers coach Chris Pincince, who was let go in May after the move to Division I, there in support.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
7 June 2025
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David Geier, who has no medical or scientific background and holds only a bachelor's degree, was disciplined for practicing medicine without a license.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cathartic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cathartic. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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