cathartic

kuh-THAR-tik

meaning in plain English

Something that helps you release strong feelings and makes you feel lighter afterward.

Think let it out — a cathartic cry washes the stress away.

for example

Crying through the sad movie felt cathartic, like letting out stress she had held in for weeks.

If something is cathartic, it lets feelings out. Why feel lighter after a good cry? Because crying was cathartic — it released the pressure.