psych
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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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!
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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.
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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
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psych out. psych-out.
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psych up
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to prepare mentally and emotionally for a challenge.
I have to psych myself up for the annual family reunion.
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to create excitement and eager anticipation in.
Beach parties, road trips, stargazing, barbecues—here are 10 tunes to psych you up for summer!
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noun
noun
adjective
abbreviation
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psychological.
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psychologist.
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psychology.
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-.
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.
"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
Their psych ward meet-cute isn't as romantic as it sounds — I promise.
From Salon • Oct. 12, 2024
After unburdening herself from the bipolar diagnosis she had received as a child, she got off psych meds.
From Slate • Sep. 29, 2024
How a concept created and coined by Carl Jung became the latest pop psych buzzword for self-discovery on social media.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 29, 2024
Though keeplocked, he got a special escort to the psych floor twice a day to take his meds.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
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.
