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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Songs here that start off surprisingly bracing resolve into big, sleek choruses, the work of firm believers in the power of heroic, high-protein mainstream alt-rock as a salve against encroaching darkness.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026 -
Riyadh doesn’t feel like a city bracing for crisis.—
Alaa Shahine Salha,
semafor.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There is more research supporting the use of collagen supplements to improve joint pain and movement, and to fortify cartilage and bones.—
Amber J. Tresca,
Verywell Health,
20 Apr. 2026
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Eli Lilly is tapping into its obesity windfall again to fortify its pipeline.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,Morgan Chittum,Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Think modern, not luxurious Voyager Technologies in Colorado is readying a space hotel for 2029.—
Devika Rao,
TheWeek,
23 Apr. 2026
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Now in his seventies, readying for the latest in a series of career-spanning retrospectives, Agüero is reluctant to weigh in on the fate of documentary cinema in these fraught times.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
22 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 25 Apr. 2026.
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