Sports Psychology Terms

verb to prepare oneself mentally or emotionally for something challenging or difficult

• It is important to brace up for the upcoming challenges in the project.
• Hey, brace up! We've got a lot of work to do today.
• Come on, brace up and let's get this party started!
• She had to brace up her emotions before giving the speech.

verb to disturb the composure of; unsettle

• The sudden change in plans disconcerted the entire team.
• I must admit, his strange behavior really disconcerts me.
• That weird noise coming from the attic really disconcerts me, dude.
• The unexpected turn of events disconcerted her, leaving her feeling lost and confused.

adjective feeling or showing a loss of hope or enthusiasm

• The team felt dispirited after losing the championship game.
• I was feeling so dispirited after failing my exam.
• She looked totally dispirited after her breakup.
• The dark clouds and rain made the landscape look dispirited.

noun a round or oval object that is produced by a female bird and that contains a baby bird

verb to encourage or urge someone to do something, especially something that is foolish or risky

• She tried to egg on the students to participate in the class discussion.
• He kept trying to egg on his friends to go skydiving with him.
• I could tell she was trying to egg on her brother to start a fight.
• The coach's speech really egged on the team to play their best in the championship game.

verb to successfully deal with or overcome a problem or difficulty

adverb used to describe the manner in which something is done

preposition used to indicate moving from one side or place to another

• It took her a long time to get over the loss of her loved one.
• I can't seem to get over how funny that movie was.
• I need to get over my ex and move on with my life.
• He couldn't get over the fact that he had failed, but eventually learned to accept it and move on.

verb to invigorate or energize someone or something

• The coach gave a motivational speech to pep up the team before the big game.
• I need some coffee to pep me up this morning.
• Let's blast some music to pep up the party!
• A new haircut can really pep up your look.

noun graceful and elegant bearing in a person

verb to hold (something) in a balanced and steady position

• She walked with grace and poise, capturing the attention of everyone in the room.
• Despite the unexpected news, she maintained her poise and kept a calm demeanor.
• Even under pressure, he managed to keep his poise and handle the situation like a boss.
• The dancer moved with such poise and precision, it was like watching poetry in motion.

adjective excited or mentally prepared for something

adverb in an excited or mentally prepared manner

• The team was psyched up and ready to give their best performance at the competition.
• I'm so psyched up for the concert tonight, it's going to be amazing!
• I'm totally psyched up to try out the new skate park this weekend.
• After reading the inspiring book, she was psyched up to make positive changes in her life.

adjective a confident and self-reliant person or manner

• The CEO appeared self-assured during the press conference.
• She always seems so self-assured, like nothing can faze her.
• He's got this cool, self-assured vibe that draws people to him.
• Her self-assured demeanor was like a shield against any doubts or insecurities.

noun a persistent gaze or glare, especially in a challenging or intimidating way

verb to look fixedly or intently at someone or something, often as a way to intimidate or challenge

• The two competitors engaged in a tense stare down before the match began.
• I could feel the tension as they stared each other down across the room.
• They were really staring each other down, it was intense!
• She had to mentally prepare herself to stare down her fears and move forward.

verb to mentally prepare oneself for something difficult or challenging

• She steeled herself for the difficult conversation ahead.
• He steeled his nerves before jumping off the cliff.
• I steeled myself for the intense workout at the gym.
• The team steeled their resolve to come back stronger next season.

verb to provoke or challenge someone with insulting or mocking remarks or actions

• The act of taunting someone is considered disrespectful and unprofessional.
• Stop taunting your little brother, it's not nice.
• She was taunting him with jokes about his haircut.
• The dark clouds taunted the farmers with the promise of rain but never delivered.

noun a French word meaning 'determination' or 'perseverance'

• Son acharnement au travail lui a valu une promotion bien méritée.
• Son acharnement à gagner ce jeu vidéo est impressionnant.
• Cet acharnement à draguer toutes les filles de la soirée est pathétique.
• L'acharnement du vent sur les volets de la maison créait une ambiance sinistre.