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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of psyches
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
Highlights include an abstract documentary of a mother-daughter trip to Taiwan, an examination of war correspondents’ psyches, and a bygone public-radio show meant to promote reading.
—Benjamin Cannon, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Most importantly, into our children’s psyches.
—Jessica Shyba, SELF, 19 Dec. 2025
It’s still burned into their psyches.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
The novella lacks the temporal markers that indicate how much time has passed between episodes and exhibits an abundance of characters with ruptured psyches.
—JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
Nobody cared about our psyches and so, so much stuff flew under the radar.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2025
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
Highlights include an abstract documentary of a mother-daughter trip to Taiwan, an examination of war correspondents’ psyches, and a bygone public-radio show meant to promote reading.
—Benjamin Cannon, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Most importantly, into our children’s psyches.
—Jessica Shyba, SELF, 19 Dec. 2025
It’s still burned into their psyches.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
The novella lacks the temporal markers that indicate how much time has passed between episodes and exhibits an abundance of characters with ruptured psyches.
—JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
Nobody cared about our psyches and so, so much stuff flew under the radar.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for psyches
Noun
-
Dining The Pennsylvanian features a Corridor Cafe, where travelers can grab breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with snacks and a selection of beverages, including wine, beer, spirits, and nonalcoholic drinks.—
Abby Price,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The floating objects, trance communications, phantom touches, miraculous healings, and poltergeist writings that followed in the five decades after Mona’s death were attributed to her and a pantheon of other notable spirits, including Black Elk.—
Shannon Taggart,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But for the mother-daughter pair, their minds were on Minneapolis and how federal agents have handled immigration enforcement.—
John Lauritsen,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Mescal, Keoghan, Quinn, and Dickinson are each headlining their own respective Beatles film, which will dive deep into the minds of the Liverpudlian lads who changed music forever.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
On his mother’s side, a line of troubled souls and eccentrics.—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Michael’s ability to inhabit two distinct souls with such power and nuance is nothing short of extraordinary.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Substance use disorders are the result of ever-growing demand for dopamine stimulation in patients’ brains.—
Sterling Elliott,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Leaders like Goldman Sachs’ David Solomon say experience trumps everything in business—including brains.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
1 Feb. 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 3 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
