as in bracing
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 psyching (up)
Verb
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Doctors, meanwhile, are bracing for a flood of new patients seeking the injections – some, like Chamadia, who medically qualify, and others drawn by the lure of a quick fix.—
Ayushi Shah,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026 -
Almost two weeks after the heaviest snow and sleet storm in a decade, Maryland is bracing for the coldest temperatures this winter.—
Mike Hellgren,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In public, Newsom speaks often and openly about his errors, fortifying his image as a bumptious, slightly hapless victim of his own enthusiasms.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
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Canada’s defense commitment Canada has spent nearly a billion dollars fortifying its southern border.—
Paula Newton,
CNN Money,
20 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Psyching (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/psyching%20%28up%29. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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