psyching (out)

Definition of psyching (out)next
present participle of psych (out)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for psyching (out)
Verb
  • Clumsiness notwithstanding, bringing a criminal case against a journalist who was reporting on a protest is an authoritarian tactic—a means of frightening the press away from uncovering the truth.
    Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
  • But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.
    Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Like the strung-up coyotes, the Ghoul typically looks normal from afar but terrifying up close.
    Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
  • That’s terrifying on a whole different level.
    Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Sunderland 1-1 Fulham Everton vs Manchester United An evening kick-off at Goodison Park, under the floodlights, could be intimidating for visiting teams — and sometimes for the home team.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Their permanent, tooth-baring grin may appear intimidating, but sand tigers sharks are considered among the safest sharks to encounter in the water.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Guadalajara will be hosting matches this summer, in what’s expected to be an economic boon for the state of Jalisco, and Sheinbaum will no doubt be wary of scaring off would-be tourists.
    Gonzalo Zegarra, CNN Money, 24 Feb. 2026
  • According to Bloomberg, analysts are already antsy about increasing prices scaring away customers, particularly as the cost of living continues to rise.
    Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Others, such as the planting of incendiary devices in the bedding section of a Lithuanian Ikea in 2024, were aimed squarely at terrorizing civilians.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Set between Seasons 2 and 3 of Stranger Things, Tales from ’85 returns viewers to Hawkins in the stark winter of 1985, where the original characters must confront new monsters and unravel a paranormal mystery that is terrorizing their town.
    Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The land data adds to other signs of softening, despite an uptick in sales as 2025 ended.
    Travis Webb, Austin American Statesman, 24 Feb. 2026
  • Shorter panels or café-style treatments keep fabric away from sinks and stoves while still softening hard tile and metal, and mitigating sharp corners.
    Maria Williams, Ascend Agency, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • But the theories stemming from the intense public interest can create serious problems for investigators — sapping time and resources that should be dedicated to solving the case and finding Guthrie, experts say.
    Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
  • That morale-sapping defeat in Leeds was not the first of its kind since his late October appointment.
    Paul Taylor, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The bugbears of this season — wasting promising chances (though Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce deserves credit for many of those) and some vulnerability to counter-attacks — remained.
    Cerys Jones, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Rather than wasting precious park time heading back to your hotel to drop off your clothes, slip these compact Baggu totes into your park bag.
    Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2026
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.

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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 25 Feb. 2026.

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