catharsis

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: katharsis, catharses, cathartic, cathars, cantharis, cathari, cathartics, cathartes, cathartid, cathartin, catharpin

Antonyms: katharsis, catharses, cathartic, cathars, cantharis, cathari, cathartics, cathartes, cathartid, cathartin, catharpin

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Noun

1. {{lb|en|drama}} A [[release]] of [[emotional]] [[tension]] after an [[overwhelm]]ing [[vicarious]] experience, resulting in the purging or [[purification]] of the emotions, as through watching a [[drama]]tic production (especially a [[tragedy]]).
2. Any [[release]] of [[emotional]] [[tension]] to the same effect, more widely.
3. A [[purification]] or [[cleansing]], especially emotional.
4. {{lb|en|psychology}} A [[therapeutic]] [[technique]] to relieve tension by [[reestablish]]ing the association of an [[emotion]] with the memory or idea of the event that first caused it, and then eliminating it by complete expression (called the [[abreaction]]).
5. {{lb|en|medicine}} A [[purging]] of the [[digestive]] [[system]].

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.