as in to brace
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
I have to psych myself up before every swimming competition
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in soul
an immaterial force within a human being thought to give the body life, energy, and power
disturbing, enigmatic paintings that seem to embody the psyche of this brilliant but troubled artist
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mind
the part of a person that feels, thinks, perceives, wills, and especially reasons
a novel that explores the psyche of a depressed teen
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of psych (up)
Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
But scarcity is a side effect of the psyche damage of marginalization.
—Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Thunderbolts immediately draws viewers into the innermost parts of each character’s psyche and reveals that each one, despite their physical strength, is struggling with serious interpersonal issues.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 30 Apr. 2025
Another reason is that it was built on the contradictory impulses to liberate the unconscious and to police those whose psyches were freed.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for psych (up)
Noun
And does anyone other than the goofball manager think that yanking Dominguez out of every single game in which the Yankees have a lead is helping him or his psyche in any way??
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
But scarcity is a side effect of the psyche damage of marginalization.
—Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Thunderbolts immediately draws viewers into the innermost parts of each character’s psyche and reveals that each one, despite their physical strength, is struggling with serious interpersonal issues.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 30 Apr. 2025
Another reason is that it was built on the contradictory impulses to liberate the unconscious and to police those whose psyches were freed.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for psych (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for psych (up)
Verb
-
University centers are bracing to lose their funding, which could sever the pipeline of scientists and physicians who specialize in occupational health and environmental toxicology.—
Will Stone,
NPR,
2 May 2025
-
How Apple and others in Silicon Valley are bracing for Trump tariffs April 5, 2025 How big of a deal is this for Apple?—
Wendy Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2025
Noun
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Two graduate students, Alice and Peter, must travel to hell in order to save their professor’s soul, and yes, there’s a bit of will-they-or-won’t-they romance.—
Chris Vognar,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2025
-
The moon’s connection to Mars presents the perfect opportunity to lay your soul bare.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
14 May 2025
Noun
-
In their minds, the miracle cure gets worse odds than lighting striking you while a meteor lands on your head.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
-
As Prima stood in the hallway speaking to Ruth, her mind moved over the contours of the previous year and reviewed the evidence.—
Lillian Fishman,
New Yorker,
4 May 2025
Verb
-
It is then fermented into a sweet wine, usually fortified.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
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The Hudson Institute think tank has urged the U.S. to fortify its military airfields within the range of China's missiles, in order to preserve air dominance during a potential conflict in which China could launch surprise attacks aimed at destroying U.S. aircraft on the ground.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 May 2025
Noun
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With attention to details, brilliantly created thrilling narrative, and the balance between science fiction and human spirit, Colony Three is an incredible excursion to uncover secrets of the new world.—
Sixteen Ramos,
USA Today,
9 May 2025
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And even if Grandma can't be at a family gathering in person, her spirit lives on through her recipes.—
Mary Alice Russell,
Southern Living,
9 May 2025
Noun
-
After a long, eight-year battle, in which the hospital claimed that Maura had a genetic underlying vascular malformation in the brain, jurors sided with the Gallaghers, concluding that Maura's death was preventable.—
Gillian Telling,
People.com,
9 May 2025
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Until the brain is fully developed, which happens in the mid-twenties, a person is more sensitive to rewarding experiences and less able to control their impulses, regulate their emotions, and understand the consequences of their actions.—
Ashleigh N. DeLuca,
Parents,
9 May 2025
Verb
-
Although Wyandotte County has yet to see a reported measles outbreak, public health officials are readying public guidance and offering vaccine services as the disease inches north from southwest Kansas.—
Sofi Zeman,
Kansas City Star,
13 May 2025
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As Amanda Hess, a New York Times critic at large and a savvy analyst of the online world, lays out in her spot-on and brutally funny new book, Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age, approximately no amount of online prep actually readies you for the experience of having a baby.—
Hillary Kelly,
The Atlantic,
5 May 2025
Noun
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Cal Fire representatives said the current parking mess has already impacted them because the driveway to their station enters the highway not far from the trail head.—
J. Harry Jones,
Ramona Sentinel,
19 July 2017
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Now, Maineri heads into year 12 with 18 pitchers on his roster, hoping that rising junior Caleb Gilbert and sophomore-to-be Zach Hess will emerge at the top of the pitching rotation.—
John Roach,
NOLA.com,
19 July 2017
Cite this Entry
“Psych (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/psych%20%28up%29. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
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