psyching
Getting inside heads
Psyching is the present participle of psych, which means to mentally prepare or intimidate.
To psych yourself up is to build confidence before a challenge: She was psyching herself up for the interview.
To psych someone out is to unnerve them through mind games or intimidation: He kept psyching out his opponents with trash talk.
The word comes from psychology, suggesting mental manipulation or preparation.
Increasing pressure inside
- hypingPromoting with exaggeration
- rallyingAssembling for unified action
- energizingImparting renewed vitality
- firing upStarting with energy
amping · revving · drive · enthusiasm · inspiration · empowerment · encouragement · momentum
Reaching understanding through thought
- readingInterpreting written text
- decodingExtracting meaning from symbols
- assessingEvaluating worth or significance
- profilingCharacterizing by patterns
sizing up · analyzing · understanding · deducing · intuiting · perceiving · discerning · predicting
Causing loss of composure
- rattlingProducing rapid knocks
- destabilizingCausing loss of equilibrium
- trash-talkCompetitive verbal abuse
- staredownUnblinking confrontation
dominance · menace · bullying · pressure · aggression · dread · unease · harassment
Making ready beforehand
- bracingRefreshingly keen or stimulating
- steelingMentally preparing oneself
- girdingEncircling with a belt
- readyingMaking prepared beforehand
expecting · foreseeing · anxiety · trepidation · apprehension · nervousness · butterflies · jitters
pumping up
Increasing pressure inside
- hypingPromoting with exaggeration
- rallyingAssembling for unified action
- energizingImparting renewed vitality
firing up · amping · revving · drive · enthusiasm · inspiration · empowerment · encouragement · momentum · morale
figuring out
Reaching understanding through thought
- readingInterpreting written text
- decodingExtracting meaning from symbols
- assessingEvaluating worth or significance
profiling · sizing up · analyzing · understanding · deducing · intuiting · perceiving · discerning · predicting · outthinking
unnerving
Causing loss of composure
- rattlingProducing rapid knocks
- destabilizingCausing loss of equilibrium
- trash-talkCompetitive verbal abuse
staredown · dominance · menace · bullying · pressure · aggression · dread · unease · harassment · manipulation
preparing
Making ready beforehand
- bracingRefreshingly keen or stimulating
- steelingMentally preparing oneself
- girdingEncircling with a belt
readying · expecting · foreseeing · anxiety · trepidation · apprehension · nervousness · butterflies · jitters · suspense
psychingphysical confrontation
Aggressive bodily conflict
fighting · brawling · strong-arming · muscling · grappling
psychingreassuring
Restoring calm or confidence
calming · soothing · comforting · encouraging · relaxing
psychingdemoralizing
Destroying confidence or hope
discouraging · deflating · disheartening · undermining · rattling
- psyching upMental self-motivation beforehand
- psyching outDeliberate intimidation tactic
- child psychiatristYouth mental health physician
- forensic psychiatristMental health court expert
- forensic psychiatryMental health in courts
- child psychiatryMedicine for young minds