bracing
Americanadjective
-
strengthening; invigorating.
This mountain air is bracing.
-
of, relating to, or serving as a brace.
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of bracing
First recorded in 1475–85; brace + -ing 1 for the noun senses; brace + -ing 2 for the adjective senses
Explanation
Anything bracing is brisk and refreshing. A Mainer might consider a January swim in the Atlantic Ocean to be bracing, while her Floridian best friend may think she's crazy. You probably enjoy the bracing sea air when you're on a sailboat, or the bracing hike you take up the side of a mountain. In both cases, you're filled with energy and feel fortified by the experience. The adjective bracing comes from the verb brace and its figurative meaning, "to strengthen or comfort."
Vocabulary lists containing bracing
Wintry Words
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"The Witches" by Roald Dahl, Chapters 1–5
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Scythe
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Glatzer: I love that it was coming out of his mouth, these truths about how this world operates, and the bracing honesty with which he speaks to the Silicon Valley community.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
It’s a remark that Fed watchers have been bracing for.
From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026
Analysts were bracing for a $12 million loss.
From Barron's • May 7, 2026
At this point, I usually sit in the waiting room biting my nails, bracing for the results.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
A second thought, however—that he must find his boy and see him safe—stirred him to rise again, first bracing himself on his forelegs before straightening his haunches.
From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
