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
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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)
David Blumenthal, STAT, 24 Mar. 2026
An abundance of academic research suggests that surging prices can have a detrimental effect on consumer psyche for years – even decades – after an inflation scare.
—Rachel Barber, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
If the movie and theme park units are the elements of Disney that have the greatest resonance with our American psyche, this is not to say that Iger in any way has been dismissive of the sports biz.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao, who is enjoying two career nominations this year, discussed diving into the psyche of the Shakespearean grief drama.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for psych (up)
Noun
Despite a powerful urge to forget, the pandemic remains a constant influence on the American psyche and American policy.
—David Blumenthal, STAT, 24 Mar. 2026
An abundance of academic research suggests that surging prices can have a detrimental effect on consumer psyche for years – even decades – after an inflation scare.
—Rachel Barber, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
If the movie and theme park units are the elements of Disney that have the greatest resonance with our American psyche, this is not to say that Iger in any way has been dismissive of the sports biz.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao, who is enjoying two career nominations this year, discussed diving into the psyche of the Shakespearean grief drama.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for psych (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for psych (up)
Verb
-
With some non-citizens no longer eligible for Cal Fresh benefits, Orange County food banks are bracing for an influx of clients.—
Michele Gile,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
After an exceptionally active winter, South Dakota is bracing for another winter storm in early spring, a reminder that the snow isn’t quite ready to pack up yet.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Sioux Falls Argus Leader,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Young Alfred Tennyson grew up in a similarly provincial bit of England, tucked away in his father’s vicarage on a remote part of the east coast of England in a village of fewer than a hundred souls.—
Kathryn Hughes,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Because this energy is centered in Scorpio and Cancer, we’re blessed with the depth of soul needed to accept the true needs of others and ourselves.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Moreover, Trump's attempts to take credit for lower prices earlier in his term may link him to prices in voters' minds.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Nguyen was also the mind behind the mural’s postcard style, and its setting against the Santa Ana Mountains and a California sunset.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Japan considers China its main regional security threat and has fortified the country's southwestern islands near the East China Sea in recent years.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The Jets were looking for a veteran to fortify their quarterback position and landed on Smith after the Raiders were set to release him.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Of course, there was also John Ashbery, a presiding spirit in his body of work.—
Giles Harvey,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
For travelers with an adventurous spirit, Costa Rica’s South Pacific is a dream come true.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The book portrays an authoritarian near-future Russia where most entertainment and all news comes through Cameras, people wired to transmit their experiences directly from their brains to the internet.—
Stephanie Burt,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
-
While Heinrich ponders the misfiring neurons in the brain of a mass shooter, Jack’s pursuit of Mink—a character whose skin color and ambiguous ethnicity Jack remarks on repeatedly—leads him directly into the urban teeth of the War on Drugs.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
SpaceX, which maintains a large presence in Southern California’s burgeoning aerospace sector, is readying an initial public offering possibly for this summer that is expected to be the largest in history, perhaps raising as much as $75 billion.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The cease-and-desist letter came after a report from The Washington Post over the weekend that Patel had dispatched agents to review and redact the files in a potential move to ready them for a public release.—
PERRY STEIN AND JEREMY ROEBUCK THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
One such affair claimed an extra life when the executioner’s son ascended the scaffold to brandish a head, lost his footing, and fell to his death.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Psych (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/psych%20%28up%29. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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