Definitions
01medical or mental treatment
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun Medicine
n. treatment to help someone feel better or get stronger after an illness, injury, or mental health struggle.
n. the remediation of a health problem, often following a clinical diagnosis; it encompasses both physiological and psychological interventions.
Español:terapia
“After his car accident, he had to go to physical therapy twice a week.”
“The patient responded well to cognitive behavioral therapy, showing significant improvement in managing her anxiety symptoms over six months.”
Usage
Often used uncountably when referring to the process in general, but countable when referring to a specific type.
Teaching tip
In modern conversation, 'therapy' without a modifier usually implies psychotherapy (counseling).
02healing quality
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a feeling or activity that makes you feel calm, happy, or relaxed.
n. the curative or restorative power or quality of an activity or environment.
“For many people, gardening is a form of therapy after a stressful day at work.”
“The quiet solitude of the mountains provided a much-needed therapy for the exhausted researchers.”
Teaching tip
Often used metaphorically for hobbies like gardening or cooking.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “therapy” in context.
Verb
01. benefit from therapy
“Many patients benefit from therapy when they combine it with regular exercise.”
verb + prep + noun
02. recommend therapy
“The doctor might recommend therapy if you are feeling overwhelmed by stress.”
verb + noun
03. undergo therapy
“She decided to undergo therapy to help her cope with the loss of her job.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. cognitive therapy
“Cognitive therapy is often used to treat anxiety by changing negative thought patterns.”
adj + noun
05. intensive therapy
“He required three months of intensive therapy to regain full use of his leg.”
adj + noun
06. occupational therapy
“Occupational therapy helps people develop the skills needed for daily living and working.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. group therapy
“In group therapy, members share their experiences and support each other's recovery.”
noun + noun
08. therapy session
“During the first therapy session, the counselor asked about my childhood.”
noun + noun
Preposition
09. in therapy
“He has been in therapy for six months and feels much more confident now.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“We tested if the gene therapy would still work and be delivered into cells, and we show that it would.” “After a lot of therapy, they say, “I actually have started to find the happiness and the joy of meeting people.” Etymology
From New Latin therapīa, from Ancient Greek θεραπεία (therapeía, “service, medical treatment”), from θεραπεύω (therapeúō, “to serve, treat medically”) + -ία (-ía, suffix for forming abstract nouns).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/therapy
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0