therapy
B2Neutral to formal; common in medical, psychological, and everyday contexts.
Definition
Meaning
Treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder, especially of the mind or body.
Any process or activity that provides mental or physical relief, healing, or improvement, often used metaphorically (e.g., retail therapy).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a non-count noun referring to the general concept or process of treatment. Can be used countably when referring to specific types (e.g., 'different therapies').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'Therapy' is used identically in core meaning. Slight preference in the UK for 'physiotherapy' over US 'physical therapy'.
Connotations
Identical. Both imply professional, often clinical, treatment.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[undergo/start/continue] therapytherapy [for/in] [condition][adj] therapyVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “retail therapy”
- “shock therapy (economic context)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in 'retail therapy' or healthcare industry contexts.
Academic
Common in medical, psychological, and sociological papers.
Everyday
Very common, especially regarding mental or physical health.
Technical
Core term in clinical psychology, medicine, and rehabilitation sciences.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The therapy dog visited the hospital ward.
- She works in a therapy centre.
American English
- The therapy dog visited the hospital wing.
- She works in a therapy center.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The doctor said I need therapy for my back.
- She has therapy every Tuesday.
- After the accident, he started physical therapy to walk again.
- Many people find talking therapy helpful for stress.
- The new therapy has shown promising results in clinical trials.
- He decided to undergo cognitive behavioural therapy to manage his anxiety.
- The efficacy of the therapy was contingent upon early diagnosis and patient adherence.
- Gene therapy represents a paradigm shift in treating certain hereditary conditions.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'THE RESToring process for health' -> THER-apy.
Conceptual Metaphor
HEALTH IS A JOURNEY / RESTORATION (e.g., 'on the road to recovery through therapy').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'терапия' for all contexts; in English, 'therapy' is more specific to treatment processes, not general 'cure'.
- Do not use 'therapy' for a single medical procedure or drug dose.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'a therapy' incorrectly for the uncountable concept (e.g., 'He is in a therapy' -> 'He is in therapy').
- Confusing 'therapy' (process) with 'therapist' (person).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a common collocation with 'therapy'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While strongly associated with psychotherapy, it applies to any treatment process (e.g., physical, respiratory, radiation therapy).
Yes, but only when referring to a specific type or instance. 'He is in therapy' (uncountable). 'Acupuncture is a therapy I tried' (countable, type).
'Therapy' often implies a sustained process or regimen, especially for rehabilitation or chronic conditions. 'Treatment' is broader and can include single interventions (e.g., surgery, a pill).
A humorous or ironic term for the act of shopping to improve one's mood, not a clinical treatment.
Collections
Part of a collection
Health and Body
A2 · 48 words · Talking about health, illness and medical care.
Health and Wellness
B1 · 49 words · Physical and mental health vocabulary.
Psychology Basics
B2 · 50 words · Fundamental concepts in human psychology.