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Synonyms

bracing

American  
[brey-sing] / ˈbreɪ sɪŋ /

adjective

  1. strengthening; invigorating.

    This mountain air is bracing.

  2. of, relating to, or serving as a brace.

noun

  1. a brace.

  2. braces collectively.

    The bracing on this scaffold is weak.

  3. material, as timber, used for braces.

bracing British  
/ ˈbreɪsɪŋ /

adjective

  1. refreshing; stimulating; invigorating

    the air here is bracing
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a system of braces used to strengthen or support

    the bracing supporting the building is perfectly adequate
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • bracingly adverb
  • bracingness noun

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."

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Vocabulary lists containing bracing

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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.

Ella Gude, head of fixed income at BNY Investments Newton, said bond traders could be bracing for higher consumer prices, even as yields have come off their highs.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

Three sisters in Big Bear Lake are bracing for the unimaginable — losing both parents.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Indians are bracing for summer, with temperatures expected to cross 45C in some parts of the country.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

The gauge was last marked at around 29 points, a level that suggests options traders are bracing for daily moves of around 115 points, or 1.8%, for the S&P 500 over the coming month.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

Have German citizens been bracing themselves for months, like we have?

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

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.