reparative therapy
noun
: conversion therapy
Note: Reparative therapy is another name used for conversion therapy, a practice that is generally regarded as having no scientific basis and as being both ineffective and harmful.
Mainstream associations representing psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers have dismissed reparative therapy in recent decades as being ineffective and potentially dangerous to the mental health of teenagers and young adults who are led to believe their interest in same-sex partners is wrong.—
Lisa Leff
Lisa LeffExamples of reparative therapy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The vote allows licensed professionals to perform conversion therapy, also known as reparative therapy, on minors in Kansas City for the first time since 2019.
—Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 26 May 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reparative therapy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reparative%20therapy. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
