# catharsis vs cathartic

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### catharsis
*noun · IPA /kəˈθɑːsɪs/ · frequency rank #43,076*
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).

### cathartic
*adjective · IPA /kəˈθɑɹtɪk/ · frequency rank #36,479*
Purgative; inducing mental or physical catharsis.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/catharsis-vs-cathartic