psych
verb (used with object)
to make happily excited or full of eager anticipation.
psych
1 American
[sahyk]
/ saɪk /
Or
psyche
verb (used with object)
-
psychs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
psyched,
past participle, past
-
psyching
present participle
-
to make happily excited or full of eager anticipation.
Your stories about Edinburgh have psyched me more than ever for my trip there next year!
-
to prepare mentally and emotionally so as to be in the right frame of mind to do one's best (often followed byup ).
He sat with his eyes closed in the aircraft, psyching himself for his first parachute jump.
-
to intimidate, make nervous, mislead, etc., in order to gain an advantage.
A good chess player knows how to psych the opponent.
interjection
verb phrase
-
psych out. see psych-out.
-
psych up
-
to prepare mentally and emotionally for a challenge.
I have to psych myself up for the annual family reunion.
-
to create excitement and eager anticipation in.
Beach parties, road trips, stargazing, barbecues—here are 10 tunes to psych you up for summer!
-
psych
2
American
[sahyk]
/ saɪk /
noun
Informal.
psych
3
American
[sahyk]
/ saɪk /
noun
adjective
psych-
4
American
psych.
5
American
abbreviation
-
psychological.
-
psychologist.
-
psychology.
psych
British
/ saɪk /
verb
Usage
What does psych- mean? Psych- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning either “psyche” or "psychological." Psyche denotes "the human soul, spirit, or mind," while psychological is a related yet distinct term that means "pertaining to psychology, the science of the mind or of mental states." Psych- is often used in medical and technical terms, especially in psychology. Psych- comes from Greek psȳchḗ, meaning “breath, spirit, soul, mind.” For more on the meaning of this word in Ancient Greek mythology, read our entry for psyche. The word psyche is at the root of the term psychedelic, which refers to the effect of hallucinogenic drugs. What are variants of psych-?Psych- is a variant of psycho-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article about psycho-.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
psychsimple
-
psychssimple
-
have psychedperfect
-
has psychedperfect
-
am psychingprogressive
-
are psychingprogressive
-
is psychingprogressive
-
have been psychingperfect progressive
-
has been psychingperfect progressive
Past
-
psychedsimple
-
had psychedperfect
-
was psychingprogressive
-
were psychingprogressive
-
had been psychingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of psych1
First recorded in 1915–20 in earlier sense “to subject to psychoanalysis”; originally a shortening of psychoanalyze; in later use (especially in psych 1 defs. 2, 3 ), perhaps as independent use of psych-
Origin of psych2
First recorded in 1890–95; by shortening
Origin of psych3
First recorded in 1985–90
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.
See Examples For:
I also saw this same dynamic when working on a hospital psych unit as a counselor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
"I'll psych her out a little bit - she won't admit it but I can see her coming apart at the seams already..."
From BBC ● Dec. 27, 2025
“You’ve got to kind of, not psych yourself up,” she says, “but you’ve got to fake it till you make it.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2025
Their psych ward meet-cute isn't as romantic as it sounds — I promise.
From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2024
Jonah expected the other kids to begin shouting out, “Time travel? What are you talking about? Are you nuts?” or “The ripple? The paradox? Yeah, right. Try the psych ward!”
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Inner Wave is the latest in a boomlet of young Latinx psych- and oldies-influenced acts from well outside L.A.’s hipsterville neighborhoods.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2018
This is a woman who psychs herself up in the mirror and raps to herself, in order to ...
From Slate ● Aug. 30, 2017
“He’s like Muhammad Ali, he psychs out all the other horses,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2017
Before trials, he psychs himself up by yelling “Showtime!,” in a nod to “All That Jazz.”
From The New Yorker ● Apr. 6, 2015
You can also designate a "Fit Song," so at the touch of a button you hear the tune that always psychs you up to go all out.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 7, 2012
If the psychs were right, he's fixated on you, now.
From Youngling A Terran Empire story by Ann Wilson
Netflix is so psyched about generative software that it’s spent the year acquiring an A.I. production studio, launching a different studio for A.I.-animated shorts, and re-creating Gene Wilder’s voice for a Willy Wonka–themed game show.
From Slate ● Jul. 2, 2026
He told the BBC he had "psyched himself" up for his cardiology appointment and that he was upset and angry at the cancellation.
From BBC ● Apr. 7, 2026
Yet he seems genuinely psyched to be talking — talking yet again — about the King, whom he reckons was in something of a bubble by the time he got to Vegas in 1969.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2026
In fact, it’s virtually impossible to tell whether he’s more psyched about “Slow Horses” or being knighted.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2025
As president, he also had to keep the other guys in line, keep them psyched up, ready to help make Archie’s assignments work.
From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier
Of course, there are limits to taking a Panglossian attitude and psyching ourselves up in the face of challenges.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
"I knew how toxic it can be. You're psyching yourself up for it, so to hear that you aren't going to need it is just unbelievable," she says.
From BBC ● Mar. 30, 2023
It can be a challenge to find motivation while working without concrete deadlines, but Isaac and Karen share ideas for psyching yourself into a creative routine.
From Slate ● Feb. 9, 2023
His ability to read the room and know his players have helped Daniels coach Joseph through multiple slumps, favoring the less-is-more approach to keep from psyching his kicker out.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 13, 2023
He wanted to think the old man was just psyching him out, but something told him the prediction was true.
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
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.
