catharsis

American  

[kuh-thahr-sis] / kəˈθɑr sɪs /

noun

plural

catharses

1. the purging of the emotions or relieving of emotional tensions, especially through certain kinds of art, as tragedy or music.

2. Medicine/Medical. purgation.

3. Psychiatry.

   1. psychotherapy that encourages or permits the discharge of pent-up, socially unacceptable affects.

   2. discharge of pent-up emotions so as to result in the alleviation of symptoms or the permanent relief of the condition.

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catharsis British  

/ kəˈθɑːsɪs /

noun

1. (in Aristotelian literary criticism) the purging or purification of the emotions through the evocation of pity and fear, as in tragedy

2. psychoanal the bringing of repressed ideas or experiences into consciousness, thus relieving tensions See also abreaction

3. purgation, esp of the bowels

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catharsis Cultural  

1. An experience of emotional release and purification, often inspired by or through art. In psychoanalysis, catharsis is the release of tension and anxiety that results from bringing repressed feelings and memories into consciousness.

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Other Word Forms

• hypercatharsis noun

Etymology

Origin of catharsis

First recorded in 1795–1805; from New Latin, from Greek kátharsis “a cleansing,” equivalent to kathar- (variant stem of kathaírein “to cleanse,” derivative of katharós “pure”) + -sis -sis

Explanation

Use the noun catharsis to refer to the experience a person can have of releasing emotional tension and feeling refreshed afterwards. Conceived by Aristotle as the cleansing effect of emotional release that tragic drama has on its audience, catharsis stems from a Greek verb meaning "to purify, purge." Today, it can be used to describe any emotional release, including a good long laugh or cry that is followed by a sense of balance and freshness afterwards.

Example Sentences

The great tragedies permit catharsis, and their ruinous endings are part of that process.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

In a family in which such direct, vulnerable declarations are rare, Agnes’ comment is both a shock and a catharsis.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2026

Telling her story has also been a "catharsis", she said.

From BBC • Dec. 26, 2025

The good news is that this show will offer new catharsis in a second season that’s already been greenlighted.

From Salon • Dec. 17, 2025

A ripple of nervous laughter rolled through the church, a catharsis for Moss.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro