abreact

A1B3R1E1A1C3T1
US/ˌæb.ɹiˈækt/

verb

To eliminate previously repressed emotions by reliving past experiences.

First used First attested in the early 20ᵗʰ century.Scrabble 11
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Meanings

verbabreact (third-person singular simple present abreacts, present participle abreacting, simple past and past participle abreacted)

present singular third person abreacts · participle present abreacting · participle past abreacted · past abreacted

  1. transitivehuman sciencesTo eliminate previously repressed emotions by reliving past experiences.First known use First attested in the early 20ᵗʰ century.

    HEATHER: But he'd deny it afterwards. Same thing all over. / DYSART: No. Because he's ready to abreact. / HEATHER: Abreact? / DYSART: Live it all again.

    1973, Peter Shaffer, “Act II, Scene 25”, in Equus, page 79

Origin

Partial calque of German abreagieren, from ab (“away from, off, down from”) + reagieren (“to react”), equivalent to ab- + react.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Danish afreagere
  • afreagereeliminate previously repressed emotions
Dutch afreageren
  • afreagereneliminate previously repressed emotions
French abréagir
  • abréagireliminate previously repressed emotions
German abreagieren
  • abreagiereneliminate previously repressed emotions
Portuguese ab-reagir
  • ab-reagireliminate previously repressed emotions

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

cabaretbearcat
Cite this entry
APA

abreact. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abreact

MLA

“abreact.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abreact. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “abreact,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abreact.

Source: abreact on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.