exorcism

/ˈeksɔːsɪzəm/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈeksɔːrsɪzəm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈek-ˌsȯr-ˌsi-zəm -sər-/ (ame, mw)

exorcism — noun

  • exorcismsingular
  • exorcismsplural

1. a religious ceremony where a priest or holy person drives an evil spirit out of

1.名詞B2
釋義

a religious ceremony where a priest or holy person drives an evil spirit out of a person or place, using prayers and sacred objects

例句

Father Okonkwo performed an exorcism on the young woman who had stopped speaking entirely.

collocation: perform an exorcism

Elder Zhang called for an exorcism after villagers heard strange wails from the old temple.

collocation: call for an exorcism

同義詞
  • deliverance

    broader Christian term for rescue from any evil or danger, not only from spirits

  • cleansing

    more general; can be spiritual or physical and does not always involve a specialist

  • expulsion

    neutral term for forcing something out; lacks the sacred or religious dimension

反義詞
  • possession

    the state of being controlled or inhabited by a spirit or demon

用法筆記

Typically performed by a priest, shaman, or religious specialist within a formal ritual context. The ceremony often involves spoken prayers, holy water, and sacred objects.

常見錯誤

❌The exorcist took three hours.
✅The exorcism took three hours.
💡an exorcist is the person who leads the ritual; exorcism is the ritual itself.

2. the psychological work of facing a deeply troubling memory or past event and gra

2.名詞C1
釋義

the psychological work of facing a deeply troubling memory or past event and gradually freeing yourself from its hold

例句

Priyanka painted her late mother's house as an exorcism of old, buried grief.

figurative: exorcism of [emotion]

Dmitri burned the old letters — a quiet exorcism of a friendship that had soured.

同義詞
  • catharsis

    more passive; a sudden release of emotion rather than a deliberate working-through

  • purging

    often physical or medical; can imply a rougher, less reflective process

  • release

    broader and less intense; does not carry the sense of driving something out

反義詞
  • repression

    pushing memories or feelings down rather than actively confronting them

  • suppression

    consciously holding back emotions instead of working through them

用法筆記

Figurative; no actual spirits are involved. Describes an emotional or psychological process, not a religious ceremony. Distinguish from sense 1 (DRIVING OUT SPIRITS), which refers to literal religious rituals.

常見錯誤

❌Crying at the film was an exorcism for her.
✅Crying at the film was cathartic for her.
💡exorcism implies a deliberate, often prolonged process; a sudden emotional release is better called catharsis.