- present participle of brace.
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.
Because it’s done so slowly and fluidly, emphasizing “soft joints” instead of locking out or bracing body parts, it’s low-impact.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Hawaii is bracing for what could be its first direct hit from a hurricane since 1992, as category one storm Lala churns off its coast.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
International Business Machines stock dropped 25% on July 14, its worst day in the company’s century-old history; Apple shares fell a bracing 7.4% on July 31, the same day that Amazon.com rocketed 15%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
And then the name I had been bracing against: Lesbos.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
Roshan narrows his eyes and brings his forearms up in a bracing cross.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
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.
