1. plural of catharsis; the process of releasing and providing relief from strong or repressed emotions
Usage: often used in psychology and therapy contexts; also used in literary and artistic criticism
2. plural of catharsis; in drama and literature, the moment when the audience experiences pity and fear, leading to emotional purification
Usage: literary term; derived from Aristotle's theory of tragedy

Examples

• The therapy sessions provided multiple katharses that helped her process years of grief.
• Many viewers found katharses in the film's powerful final scene.
• The novel's katharses came at moments when characters confronted their deepest fears.
• Crying during the movie was a form of emotional katharses for the audience.
• The artist believed that creating sculptures led to personal katharses.
• Greek tragedies were designed to produce katharses in their audiences.
• The support group facilitated katharses by allowing members to share their stories.