1 B2 idiomatic informal
to make yourself feel confident, excited, and ready to do something difficult
"I listened to music to psych myself up before the presentation."
separable
psych up
B2 informal separable transitive/intransitive
to mentally prepare yourself or someone for a challenge
In plain English
to make yourself feel ready and confident before something hard
What does "psych up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
to encourage or stimulate another person or group mentally before an event
"The coach tried to psych the team up before kickoff."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
Literally, to raise someone's psychological state.
Actually means
to make yourself feel ready and confident before something hard
Usage tip
Very common in sports, performance, exams, and difficult conversations. Often used reflexively: 'psych yourself up'.
Words that pair with "psych up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
for the game for the interview before the exam team players yourself
How to conjugate "psych up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
psych up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
psyches up
he/she/it
Past simple
psyched up
yesterday
Past participle
psyched up
have + pp
-ing form
psyching up
continuous
Hear "psych up" in the wild
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Other ways to say "psych up"
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