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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Overcast skies hovered over Atlanta during the midafternoon as the metro area braced for severe weather.—
Vanessa McCray,
AJC.com,
6 May 2026 -
The disappointment comes after the hotel industry was bracing for a strong summer in 2026.—
Rafael Nam,
NPR,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Though the depth is fortified on offense, the defense hampered the Bears most last season.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
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What fortifies it the most is an appearance from Williams’ grandfather midway through the song.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Inside the nearly empty Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown LA last Monday afternoon, the air rumbles and judders and roars like a B-52 engine readying for takeoff.—
Erik Pedersen,
Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
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And across the street from Hyde Park Academy, construction crews swarmed to ready the Obama Presidential Center behemoth for its Juneteenth opening date.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
30 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 8 May. 2026.
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