1
as in spirits
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in minds
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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Recent Examples of psyches
This meditative chapter served to reset the students' psyches via the most unlikely of methods… by the reading of a classic 20th-century American stage play.
—
Jeff Spry, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2026
While Fermin wasn’t catching the rehabbing Joe Musgrove, the veteran right-hander was an additional Rosetta Stone for the division, the NL in general and even the psyches of the new pitchers throwing to him.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
But these surprising finds showed a different side to serial killers, and would forever shape understanding of their psyches.
—Costa Beavin Pappas, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
This is what we’ve been told time and again, in movies and TV shows from Mommie Dearest and Carrie to Mad Men and The Sopranos, where the mother monster shows up in all her pill-popping, guilt-tripping, fright wig-wearing splendor to wreak havoc on her innocent children’s—and our—psyches.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
The ban might deliver some truly valuable benefits, letting youthful missteps remain local and ephemeral, rather than searing permanent brands onto developing psyches, and giving young people more time to develop the in-person social skills and connections that make life meaningful.
—Keith Humphreys, The Atlantic, 2 Feb. 2026
The format flourished in the middle of the 20th century, in books by Daphne du Maurier and movies like Gaslight, mirroring the psyches of women who’d been empowered to run the homefront during World War II, then married into suburban cages.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
While snow days can be magical and warming your hands around a firepit after an afternoon of ice skating or sledding is fun, the long stretches of cold, gray weather can take a definite toll on our psyches.
—Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 30 Jan. 2026
The sometimes unbearable suspense of wondering what will happen next can propel even the most mediocre thriller movies forward, and the best ones can use that tension to also probe deep into the psyches of our protagonists.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
Jeff Spry, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2026
While Fermin wasn’t catching the rehabbing Joe Musgrove, the veteran right-hander was an additional Rosetta Stone for the division, the NL in general and even the psyches of the new pitchers throwing to him.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
But these surprising finds showed a different side to serial killers, and would forever shape understanding of their psyches.
—Costa Beavin Pappas, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
This is what we’ve been told time and again, in movies and TV shows from Mommie Dearest and Carrie to Mad Men and The Sopranos, where the mother monster shows up in all her pill-popping, guilt-tripping, fright wig-wearing splendor to wreak havoc on her innocent children’s—and our—psyches.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
The ban might deliver some truly valuable benefits, letting youthful missteps remain local and ephemeral, rather than searing permanent brands onto developing psyches, and giving young people more time to develop the in-person social skills and connections that make life meaningful.
—Keith Humphreys, The Atlantic, 2 Feb. 2026
The format flourished in the middle of the 20th century, in books by Daphne du Maurier and movies like Gaslight, mirroring the psyches of women who’d been empowered to run the homefront during World War II, then married into suburban cages.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
While snow days can be magical and warming your hands around a firepit after an afternoon of ice skating or sledding is fun, the long stretches of cold, gray weather can take a definite toll on our psyches.
—Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 30 Jan. 2026
The sometimes unbearable suspense of wondering what will happen next can propel even the most mediocre thriller movies forward, and the best ones can use that tension to also probe deep into the psyches of our protagonists.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for psyches
Noun
-
The spirits are all around here.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The day event features a pop-up photo studio with celebrity photographer David Christopher Lee, along with brands across beauty, wellness, home and spirits — and puppies also available for adoption.—
Kirsten Chuba,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Tatum won that tug-of-war, but the alternate-universe version of the Kardashian family tree now lives rent-free in fans’ minds.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2026
-
To some extent, minds have already been a bit blown — or at least perplexed — by real-world events.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
While there’s plenty of nostalgia to satisfy old souls like myself, this isn’t a route where the glory days are confined to the rearview mirror.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Will Trump’s growing flirtations with American boots on the ground risk a quagmire that will swallow American lives and souls similar to the experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq?—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Can the same approach work to rewire the brains of teenagers who have grown up with tech and ultraprocessed foods?—
Alicia Garceau,
NPR,
6 Mar. 2026
-
For the big brains at Pixar, always up for a conceptual challenge, interspecies communication is not a given to be embraced but a problem to be solved.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
While the likes of Philo and Trotter have expanded upon the idea by prioritizing people whose intellects align with their brand values, Jacquemus takes it to another level.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Psyches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/psyches. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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