psyching out
Undermining someone's confidence
Psyching out is unsettling someone's composure or confidence through psychological tactics—trash talk, intimidation, or mind games designed to make an opponent doubt themselves: He kept psyching me out before the match with comments about my weak backhand.
The related psych out can also mean to figure something out through intuition: I psyched out what she really wanted.
- mind gamesPsychological manipulation tactics
- head gamesPsychological manipulation tactics
- self-doubtUncertainty about oneself
- gaslightingManipulation causing self-doubt
- intimidationDeliberate fear-inducing pressure
stare down · bluffing · poker face · fake out · trash talk · demoralization · insecurity · deception · hesitation · undermining · misdirection · overthinking · baiting · confusion · provoking · fear · cold shoulder · rattling
- mind gamesmind game, head game, head games, mind games, intimidation
psyching outencouraging
Giving confidence or hope
building up · reassuring · psyching up · heartening · inspiring
psyching outcalming
Inducing a settled state
soothing · reassuring · steadying · relaxing · centering
psyche, psych, psyched, psyching, psychs, psychology, psychological, psychologically, psychologist