therapist
Americannoun
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a person trained in the use of physical methods, as exercises, heat treatments, etc., in treating or rehabilitating the sick or wounded or helping patients overcome physical defects.
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a person trained in the use of psychological methods for helping patients overcome psychological problems.
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Also therapeutist a person, as a doctor, skilled in therapeutics.
noun
Etymology
Origin of therapist
Compare meaning
How does therapist compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
An expert at a specific kind of healing practice is called a therapist. A massage therapist is trained to soothe sore muscles, for example. The first thing many people think of when they see the word therapist is a psychotherapist, a mental health practitioner whose job is to diagnose and treat psychiatric conditions. This kind of therapist might listen to a patient's thoughts, fears, problems, and dreams and offer helpful techniques or even medication. Other types of therapists include physical therapists and occupational therapists, both of whom help clients with mobility and quality of life issues presented by their physical disabilities or challenges.
Vocabulary lists containing therapist
"Fears and Phobias," Vocabulary from the article
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Out of My Mind
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Guts
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Alexander, who went into debt to his record label to pay for the staging, called the experience "brutal" and advised future contestants to "get a good therapist".
From BBC • May 17, 2026
He said he had become a therapist and that he had his hips replaced.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
Friction in relationships can arise when the partners don’t agree on whether paid time off is a shared resource or an individual one, says Los Angeles-based financial therapist Amanda Clayman.
From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026
She is the therapist on “Couples Therapy,” the Paramount+ documentary series that starts its new season on Friday.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
“Maybe. I don’t know about that therapist, though.”
From "Sparrow" by Sarah Moon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
