as in to brace
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
I have to psych myself up before every swimming competition
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for psych (up)
Verb
-
This posthumous album of free improv pairs the late pedal steel virtuoso with a metal-adjacent guitar-and-drums duo, to bracing, gravity-defying effect.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
4 Mar. 2026 -
Dante’s bracing directness, his pathos and humor, and his invention feel effortless.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The official also said Iran's government was operating, as well as acting to conceal and fortify, its nuclear program to continue to advance it, and that the objective of the offensive was to significantly reduce the capabilities of the Iranian's regime.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Bamboo extract lipopeptides form a weightless, protective film that helps fortify the hair fiber.—
Michelle Rostamian,
Allure,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Blue Origin and Eutelsat's OneWeb, for instance, are following SpaceX's example, as are several Chinese companies, and smaller startups are readying their own endeavors.—
Monisha Ravisetti,
Space.com,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Savannah Guthrie is readying her return to Today amid the ongoing search for her missing mother, Nancy Guthrie.—
Jodi Guglielmi,
Rolling Stone,
5 Mar. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Psych (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/psych%20%28up%29. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
