1. charged with or characterized by emotional energy or psychological investment
Usage: psychology, psychoanalysis

1. past tense and past participle of cathect; to invest emotional energy or psychological interest in a person, object, or idea
Usage: psychology, psychoanalysis

Examples

• The patient had cathected onto the therapist as a parental figure.
• She cathected her hopes and dreams onto her career.
• His cathected attachment to the old house made it difficult to sell.
• The child cathected strong emotions to the stuffed animal.
• Cathected relationships often involve deep emotional investment.
• He cathected his identity with his professional role.