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
  • 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
  • This war has been a disaster for them, frightening away foreign investors, tourists and talent and burdening them with a future of huge new defense bills to deter Iran after the United States is gone.
    — Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Definition of frightening
Verb
  • And there was Erling Haaland living his best Norwegian life, terrifying on the pitch and absurd off it, multiplying his stardom with a flamboyance and humor that didn’t detract from his serious talent.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • These get forwarded across the internet, and soon masses of young people are surging into an urban plaza or park, often terrifying any adult who happens to be nearby.
    — Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026
Definition of terrifying
Verb
  • Although moving an entire kitchen might sound intimidating, Shoemaker says years of DIY renovations had quietly prepared them for a project of this scale.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
  • The products are designed to feel intuitive rather than intimidating.
    — Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of intimidating
Verb
  • While movies may no longer be playing in the wider universe, at least our video games are taking us there and then scaring us out of our space boots.
    — Matthew Razak, Space.com, 26 July 2026
  • More harassment, then eviction Within a year of his release, Henrichsen had returned to harassing and scaring his neighbors, according to a request for a restraining order filed in May 2023.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of scaring
Verb
  • But his plan of enforcement, tearing families apart, terrorizing communities with mass ICE raids, and pitting nations against nations is not the solution.
    — Ken Salazar, Time, 20 July 2026
  • In one of Nolan’s subtle but important additions to Homer’s tale, all throughout the film, everyone expresses fears about the People from the Sea, this unseen menace terrorizing different towns.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 July 2026
Definition of terrorizing
Verb
  • Lander did not feel the need to appease the Zionist mob by softening his rhetoric.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • The singer styled a floral tank top from Chloé with black stovepipe jeans, softening the dark wash with a touch of flower power.
    — Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 20 July 2026
Definition of softening
Verb
  • And then, in the 93rd minute, after 100 consecutive (and non-threatening) passes, after more than five minutes of time-sapping possession, Algeria suddenly broke forward and scored!
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • Unlike basketball or baseball, pro football is far from the point where regular-season contests become meaningless, but that hasn’t stopped its fans from debating whether the NFL is sapping some of the magic that comes from football’s scarcity.
    — Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026
Definition of sapping
Verb
  • Ahead of the hearing, Fishback started speaking to his followers in the room, saying in part that Collins was wasting taxpayer money on the case.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026
  • Without clear governance, agents roam aimlessly through data warehouses looking for credible information, then check the results after the fact — wasting time and tokens, and generating inconsistent actions.
    — Sumeet Agrawal, Fortune, 20 July 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 31 Jul. 2026.

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