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
-
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
-
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
-
Eli Lilly is tapping into its obesity windfall again to fortify its pipeline.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,Morgan Chittum,Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
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 22 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
