psych (out)

verb

Definition of psych (out)next
as in to scare

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for psych (out)
  1. scare
  2. frighten
  3. intimidate
  4. terrorize
  5. terrify
  6. sap
  7. soften
  8. waste
Verb
  • Fly fishing taught me that forcing the outcome usually scares it away.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The European Union’s top diplomat said Russia’s army is struggling to make progress on the front line and wants to scare off Ukraine’s Western backers with its air campaign.
    — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of scare
Verb
  • Her mount, meanwhile, is frightened by lightning and runs off.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The rising cost of health care has frightened many people, including those with health insurance.
    — Cara Kelly, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of frighten
Verb
  • Experts say cartels use car bombs to intimidate rivals and authorities, pressure the government and spread fear among civilians.
    — María Verza, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • More generally, the movie, directed by Elegance Bratton, is about the historical context of this murder, the conscious and organized effort by white Southern citizens and officials to intimidate, persecute, and subjugate Black people.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of intimidate
Verb
  • Arrest documents offered a flurry of new details about two former Phoenix police officers suspected of terrorizing a couple during a traffic stop and failing to document or report the stop.
    — Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • For decades, Blythe Street gang terrorized Panorama City despite injunctions, beautification projects and millions in investment.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrorize
Verb
  • Looking back on taking over a character so closely associated with Parton, Hilty once admitted that the prospect of playing Doralee with Parton watching initially terrified her.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Jaylen Edgar, the teenager tried for the 2024 Halloween mass shooting in downtown Orlando that killed two, injured several others and terrified thousands, was found guilty of all charges Monday.
    — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrify
Verb
  • After more than 26 years of drought and climate change sapped the river's supply, the nation's two largest reservoirs — Lake Powell and Lake Mead — are at record lows.
    — Alex Hager, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Mental health conditions such as depression can sap both energy and motivation, while medical issues including hypothyroidism, anemia and chronic fatigue syndrome can also cause debilitating symptoms.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of sap
Verb
  • This unit has plenty of opportunities to gel by November, when the schedule softens a bit before a potential playoff push.
    — Zak Keefer, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • But while anti-immigrant, pro-Russian parties have made inroads across the continent in recent years, there have also been notable reversals, and some have softened their views to build coalitions with moderates.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of soften
Verb
  • Bournemouth were profligate, despite scoring through Marcus Tavernier and forcing a Malick Thiaw own goal, with multiple first-half chances wasted.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Faster speeds generally mean a compromise in quality, multi-color 3D printers often waste some filament, and higher volume loads usually demand more hardware.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of waste
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.

Browse Nearby Words

psychotic
psych (out)
psychs (out)
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Cite this Entry

“Psych (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/psych%20%28out%29. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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