THE WORDCRAFT DEFINITION DICTIONARY
cathartic
adjective
Providing a release of strong or pent-up emotions.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
A USEFUL DISTINCTION
Usage note
Emotional release is the sense used here. A separate medical sense concerns purging.
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Examples in context
Writing the letter proved cathartic even though she never sent it.
After the schedule was corrected, Noor made an earnest effort to rebuild the group's confidence, listening carefully to each performer's remaining concern. Reading their scene aloud together proved cathartic for her: it released feelings she had been holding back during the disagreement.
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This entry is part of the vocabulary collection supplied by GlobalRPh. Definitions are concise study meanings. Examples combine original teaching sentences with selected passages adapted from the supplied study notes; their source is labeled beside each example. A word may have additional specialized or historical senses.
Adapted from supplied vocabulary notes. Example written for WordCraft.
Source study sections: 8.
Emotional release is the sense used here. A separate medical sense concerns purging.
Dictionary scope and sources