psyching (out)

verb

present participle of psych (out)
as in frightening

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for psyching (out)
  1. frightening
  2. terrifying
  3. intimidating
  4. scaring
  5. terrorizing
  6. softening
  7. sapping
  8. wasting
Verb
  • For Cox and Walker, the challenge was to introduce horror-film conventions without frightening the franchise’s youngest viewers.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Powell tried to open the stall door, and then began fondling himself, frightening the 11-year-old, who tried to leave, but Powell blocked him from getting out.
    — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 6 June 2026
Definition of frightening
Verb
  • The simple act of a child pedaling down empty hotel hallways on a Big Wheel builds anticipation, terrifying us with what may be around each corner.
    — Radhika Seth, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Now a ruthless Emperor, Paul must face the consequences of his reign as old allies return, terrifying new threats emerge, and betrayal lurks in every shadow.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of terrifying
Verb
  • The sidewalks of Philadelphia were packed — not with an intimidating crowd of protesters, but with people holding Israeli flags and waiting in line for hours to order a plate of hummus or a bowl of matzah ball soup.
    — Jessica Tzikas, Sun Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2026
  • He was also prohibited from intimidating or retaliating against potential witnesses.
    — Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of intimidating
Verb
  • His campaign strategy in the days before the election seemed to rely on scaring the Israeli public into voting for him.
    — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The white whale of American politics seemed in reach until the president spent two years scaring it away.
    — Gabe Fleisher, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of scaring
Verb
  • Undeterred, Ghidorah returned for a rematch just a year later in Invasion of Astro Monster (1965), after being discovered supposedly terrorizing the inhabitants of Planet X, a world found beyond Jupiter.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Armed with a baseball bat and a shotgun, the Platt family must survive the dinosaurs terrorizing their quaint 1980s neighborhood, rescue their family dog Starbuck and uncover what has happened to Oak Street.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of terrorizing
Verb
  • Despite geopolitical uncertainty and inflation softening consumer sentiment, US shoppers are still buying beauty, especially online.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The two grew closer, with Wong softening behind bars, caring more about others’ personal lives and sending Lee cards on special occasions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of softening
Verb
  • Partita takes a poem that vibrates with political energy and domesticates it, sapping this very famous verse of its revolutionary bite.
    — Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Stubbornly high inflation has been sapping consumer confidence and pressuring the Fed, which recently raised its benchmark interest rate in an effort to cool prices.
    — Damian J. Troise, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of sapping
Verb
  • Every delay makes recovery harder and risks wasting the public investment already made.
    — Carole LaBonne, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Las Vegas piled up 236 yards and scored four touchdowns after halftime, wasting the Jets’ season-high offensive output.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of wasting
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.

Browse Nearby Words

psychics
psyching (out)
psyching (up)
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Cite this Entry

“Psyching (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/psyching%20%28out%29. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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