katharsis

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A form of catharsis — A release of emotional tension after an overwhelming vicarious experience, resulting in the purging or purification of the emotions, as through watching a dramatic production (especially a tragedy).

Similar
catharsispurgationabreaction
Scrabble 16
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Meanings

nounkatharsis (countable and uncountable, plural katharses)

plural katharses

  1. archaiccountableuncountableArchaic spelling of catharsis.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounpurging the body by the use of a cathartic to stimulate evacuation of the bowels

Similar
catharsispurgation
Broader
purgepurging

noun(psychoanalysis) purging of emotional tensions

Similar
catharsisabreaction
Broader
purgepurging
Also see
abreactioncatharsispurgation

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Cite this entry
APA

katharsis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/katharsis

MLA

“katharsis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/katharsis. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “katharsis,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/katharsis.

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