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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The Texas Education Agency will meet with the Lake Worth community Wednesday as the school district braces for a state takeover.—
Lacey Beasley,
CBS News,
14 Jan. 2026 -
Dean, as Ruby’s ambitious friend and mentor who is also braced for loss, is particularly outstanding, while Todd Field nicely depicts the solace and agonies one faces when establishing tight boundaries in life.—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Overall, though, New Jersey didn’t land enough difference-makers to fortify the club’s supporting cast.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Foods like yogurt and kefir offer gut-friendly probiotics, and milk is often fortified with vitamin D.—
Anthea Levi,
Health,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After the speech, Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, a Democrat who has led the legislature’s AI regulation push, said conversations were ongoing and that a task force created by Polis was readying language for more legislation.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
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The litigation is unfolding as SoFi Stadium readies to host 2026 FIFA World Cup games, the 2027 Super Bowl and 2028 Olympic events.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
13 Jan. 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 Jan. 2026.
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