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
  • For Thomas, unpacking what went wrong goes well beyond the headless bodies, terrifying phone calls and dead ends.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Spotify is terrifying much of the podcast industry with a tiny little widget.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrifying
Verb
  • While their titles might seem intimidating, the reality is that these tried-and-true techniques can be really effective for anyone.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Recreational leagues can be intimidating, are often male-dominated and require a level of skill too high for casual players.
    — Lindsay Davenport, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of intimidating
Verb
  • Few griz/hunter interactions ever move beyond the scaring stage.
    — Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Be a menace to people in the community, driving his boat 70 to 80 miles per hour, driving around scaring the heck out of people, taking people's lives.
    — Lauren Victory, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of scaring
Verb
  • Stock Up Edge rusher Chop Robinson continues his dominant practices by terrorizing Dolphins offensive tackles all day.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Every few decades since its founding a dark and deadly cycle begins, terrorizing the local community, many of whom are unable to survive beyond the island’s borders.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrorizing
Verb
  • That’s because the scent leads with a masculine-leaning opening of almond blossom, pink pepper, and neroli, before softening to its woody vanilla base.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Nike had been using Bugs Bunny in a series of commercials starring Michael Jordan as a means of softening the basketball legend’s intense on-court image and marketing his Air Jordans to families.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of softening
Verb
  • The yield surge is largely a result of mounting investor concerns about persistent US inflation and ballooning government debt, as well as competition from corporate AI-buildout debt that is sapping demand for Treasuries.
    — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The transition from farms, the open range, and artisanal workshops to offices and large, impersonal, factories was seen as sapping virility—just as our tiny cubicles and remote workstations are said to do today.
    — Michael Kimmel, Time, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of sapping
Verb
  • After scoring the game’s first run in the top of the 10th, the Angels gave up two with two outs in the bottom of the inning, losing to the Texas Rangers, 2-1, on Friday night, once again wasting a scoreless start from Reid Detmers.
    — Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Personalize Outreach To Dream Customers Stop wasting your tiny budget trying to scream at a cold, massive audience.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 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 28 Aug. 2026.

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