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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for psych (up)
Verb
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Frustration over rising power bills is a common complaint in California, and the state is bracing for increases in power consumption as the use of artificial intelligence grows.—
James Taylor,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026 -
Tornadoes, hail slam the Heartland More than 50 million people across the Midwest and Plains are bracing for severe weather on Tuesday, a day after baseball-sized hail and multiple tornadoes were reported in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Kansas.—
Kenton Gewecke,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His career essentially bestrides the slow-to-grow Before Times and the apparent soccer paradise of today, which was fortified by remarkable facilities, boosted by an ideal central location and forged by an eagerly welcoming host city that slugged above its weight to make this happen.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
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The captain had reportedly appealed to the sultan for reinforcements, hoping to fortify Goa and, from that stronghold, expel the Portuguese from India so that the spice trade might once again flow via the Red Sea route toward Mecca and Cairo.—
Sanat Pai RaikarAll,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Hungary‘s media sector and Hollywood producers seeking its juicy tax incentive are readying for a new future after Péter Magyar’s Tisza party ended the 16-year rule of Viktor Orbán’s far-right rival Fidesz.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
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The plan, released on April 14, orders NASA, the Pentagon and the Department of Energy to ready a moon-orbiting nuclear power system for launch as soon as 2028.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
15 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Psych (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/psych%20%28up%29. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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