as in to brace
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
I have to psych myself up before every swimming competition
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in soul
an immaterial force within a human being thought to give the body life, energy, and power
disturbing, enigmatic paintings that seem to embody the psyche of this brilliant but troubled artist
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mind
the part of a person that feels, thinks, perceives, wills, and especially reasons
a novel that explores the psyche of a depressed teen
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of psych (up)
James Manso, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2025
Stanislavski cared about your psyche.
—Remy Blumenfeld, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2025
Wilson, whose earlier turnover haunted her psyche, got a reprieve.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
But the biggest blow to Gein's psyche was his mother's death in 1945.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for psych (up)
Noun
Establishing the brand’s DNA in the consumer psyche is his top priority.
—James Manso, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2025
Stanislavski cared about your psyche.
—Remy Blumenfeld, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2025
Wilson, whose earlier turnover haunted her psyche, got a reprieve.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
But the biggest blow to Gein's psyche was his mother's death in 1945.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for psych (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for psych (up)
Verb
-
Guatemala City — In the bracing morning air, workers leave their homes in the outer suburbs and hurry toward the industrial buildings lining the Guatemalan capital’s highways.—
Ladan Anoushfar,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
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But next year, the Galls, who live in Meridian, Idaho, are bracing for their costs to grow significantly.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Ameer is just a brilliant observer and storyteller, a very old and wise soul in a young man’s body.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
20 Oct. 2025
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What was once anima, a spirit or soul, became techne, a resource.—
Cal Revely-Calder,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Payton lost his mind, running onto the field, drawing a penalty.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
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These disorienting films linger on the mind long after the credits roll.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And if hair growth is a concern, droves of shoppers recommend this Pura D’or shampoo and conditioner duo that’s fortified with biotin to encourage fuller, healthier-looking hair.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
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But though the iconic museum was initially constructed as a building meant to safeguard and fortify the area, thieves have managed to get through its defenses on a number of occasions and carry off priceless works of art.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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For bones, spirits, and some menacing dolls, here’s where to go for a fright.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
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The spirit has strong notes of star anise and caraway, with a range of holiday spices.—
Kelli Arseneau,
jsonline.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Her brain cannot compute — because there’s something so linear about education.—
Nikki McCann Ramirez,
Rolling Stone,
21 Oct. 2025
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Making things with your hands will shift your brain into problem-solving mode and sparks creativity in ways staring at a screen never will.—
Cas Holman,
CNBC,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Washington and Beijing are readying for a high-stakes week of talks which will culminate in a meeting between their respective leaders.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
24 Oct. 2025
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It was thought that the simple last scene of Tom readying Ethan’s bedroom and giving the always subtly expressive Ruffalo a moment of quiet introspection would do the trick.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The network was about to hire The Daily Show host when a producer Kimmel worked with on the '90s game show Win Ben Stein's Money suggested that the head of the network watch video of him, Kimmel explained Wednesday on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
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To combat this, a 4-2-3-1 can be morphed into multiple defensive shapes depending on the head coach’s preference.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Psych (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/psych%20%28up%29. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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