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Showing results for bracing. Search instead for braying.
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

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.

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

"Our analysis of nearly 10,000 patients reveals that simple, accessible therapies like knee bracing and water-based exercise outperform high-tech options like ultrasound. This could reshape clinical guidelines to focus on safer, lower-cost interventions."

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

She seemed to be bracing herself for a scolding.

From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English

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.