cathect Definition
to invest emotion or feeling in an idea, object, or another person.
Using cathect: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "cathect" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
She cathects her childhood memories.
Example
He cathects his anger towards his boss.
Example
The artist cathects his emotions into his paintings.
cathect Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with cathect
self-cathect
to invest one's own feelings or emotions in oneself
Example
He learned to self-cathect and become more self-reliant.
object-cathect
to invest one's feelings or emotions in an object or idea
Example
She object-cathects her favorite book series.
other-cathect
to invest one's feelings or emotions in another person
Example
He other-cathects his partner and values their relationship.
Origins of cathect
from Greek 'kathexis', meaning 'holding, possession'
Summary: cathect in Brief
The verb 'cathect' [ka-ˈthekt] means to invest emotion or feeling in an idea, object, or another person. It is often used in psychology and psychoanalysis to describe emotional attachment. Examples include 'She cathects her childhood memories.' and 'He cathects his anger towards his boss.' The term extends into phrases like 'self-cathect,' 'object-cathect,' and 'other-cathect,' which denote investing emotions in oneself, an object or idea, or another person, respectively.
