Brace — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈbrās/

Meaning & Definition of Brace

Brace (verb)

  1. prepare, steel
  2. invigorate, freshen
  3. to prepare for use by making taut

Brace (noun)

  1. something that transmits, directs, resists, or supports weight or pressure
  2. a diagonal piece of structural material that serves to strengthen something (such as a framework)
  3. an appliance for supporting a body part

Brace (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a structure that holds up or serves as a foundation for something else

    "wore a brace for the injured knee"

    similar: buttress, mount, mounting, prop, reinforcement, shore, spur, stay, support, underpinning
    related: shoring, column, pedestal, pilaster, pillar, arch, bolster, bracket, cantilever, girder, bearing, crutch, peg, post, stake, stanchion, stand, stilt, strut, truss, base, foundation, frame

  2. two things of the same or similar kind that match or are considered together

    "bagged a brace of pheasants"

    similar: couple, couplet, duo, dyad, pair, twain, twosome
    related: span, yoke, partnership, team, companion, complement, doublet, fellow, half, match, mate, twin, coordinate, counterpart, equal, equivalent, like, parallel, peer, rival

Brace (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to give life, vigor, or spirit to

    "the pep talk braced the team up for the second half"

    similar: amp (up), animate, energize, enliven, fillip, fire, ginger (up), invigorate, jazz (up), juice up, jump-start, liven (up), pep (up), quicken, spike, stimulate, vitalize, vivify, zip (up)
    related: arouse, awake, awaken, raise, rouse, stir, wake (up), activate, actuate, drive, impel, motivate, motive, move, propel, charge, electrify, galvanize, enkindle, excite, ferment, foment, incite, inflame, instigate, kindle, provoke, set off, spark, trigger, turn on, whip (up), abet, boost, buoy, cheer, embolden, fortify, hearten, infuse, inspire, lift, rally, steel, strengthen, reactivate, reanimate, reawake, reawaken, recharge, recreate, reenergize, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, rekindle, renew, restimulate, resurrect, resuscitate, revitalize, revive
    opposite: damp, dampen, deaden, dull, kill
    near: burn out, debilitate, do in, drain, enervate, enfeeble, exhaust, fag, fatigue, harass, kayo, knock out, sap, tucker (out), undermine, wash out, weaken, wear, wear out, weary, check, curb, inhibit, jade, quell, quench, repress, restrain, slow, still, stunt, suppress, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit

  2. to hold up or serve as a foundation for

    "several boards braced the wall"

    similar: bear, bolster, buttress, carry, prop (up), shore (up), stay, support, sustain, undergird, underpin, uphold
    related: steady, truss, underlie

  3. to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally

    "she braced herself for the job interview"

    similar: forearm, fortify, nerve, poise, psych (up), ready, steel, strengthen
    related: arm, harden, inure, season, toughen, bolster, boost, buoy (up), buttress, enforce, prop (up), reinforce, support, sustain, cheer (up), comfort, embolden, encourage, hearten, inspire, rally, rouse, stir
    near: daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, psych (out), shake, unnerve, debilitate, enervate, enfeeble, prostrate, sap, soften, tire, undercut, undermine, weaken

Related Entry: Halo (noun)

Halo is a different word from Brace. The synonyms below are for halo, not for brace.

  1. a special quality or impression associated with something

    "the halo of unimpeachable honesty in which the politician had long basked"

    similar: air, ambience, aroma, atmosphere, aura, climate, flavor, karma, mood, nimbus, note, odor, patina, smell, temper, vibration(s)
    related: aureole, mystique, romance, genius loci, feel, feeling, sensation, sense, spirit, attribute, character, characteristic, image, mark, notion, peculiarity, picture, property, trait, color, illusion, overtone, semblance, suggestion, tone

  2. an artistic rendering of radiant light around the head or body of a sacred personage

    "a naturalistic depiction of Saint Peter that shows him as a humble fisherman and without the traditional halo"

    similar: aureole, glory, nimbus
    related: starburst, sunburst, aura, corona

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Brace

The most common words with a similar meaning to Brace:

buttress, mount, mounting, prop, reinforcement, shore, spur, stay, support, underpinning, couple, couplet, duo, dyad, pair, twain, twosome, amp (up), animate, energize, enliven, fillip, fire, ginger (up), invigorate, jazz (up), juice up, jump-start, liven (up), pep (up), quicken, spike, stimulate, vitalize, vivify, zip (up), bear, bolster, carry, prop (up)

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Brace

Words with the opposite meaning of Brace:

damp, dampen, deaden, dull, kill

Related Words for Brace

shoring, column, pedestal, pilaster, pillar, arch, bracket, cantilever, girder, bearing, crutch, peg, post, stake, stanchion, stand, stilt, strut, truss, base, foundation, frame, span, yoke, partnership, team, companion, complement, doublet, fellow

Near Antonyms of Brace

burn out, debilitate, do in, drain, enervate, enfeeble, exhaust, fag, fatigue, harass, kayo, knock out, sap, tucker (out), undermine, wash out, weaken, wear, wear out, weary, check, curb, inhibit, jade, quell, quench, repress, restrain, slow, still

Word Forms of Brace

Inflections: braced, bracing, braces

Origin & Etymology of Brace

Middle English, from Anglo-French bracer to embrace, from brace

First known use: 14th centuryt

Words & Phrases Containing Brace

brace root, brace yourself, curly brace

Frequently Asked Questions about Brace

What does "Brace" mean?

"Brace" means prepare, steel. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: prepare, steel. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Brace"?

Other words for "Brace" include buttress, mount, mounting, prop, reinforcement, shore, spur and stay. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Brace" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Brace"?

There are 169 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Brace". Common alternatives include buttress, mount, mounting, prop, reinforcement, shore, spur, stay, support and underpinning.

What is the opposite of "Brace"?

Antonyms of "Brace" include damp, dampen, deaden, dull and kill. Near antonyms include burn out, debilitate, do in and drain.

How do you use "Brace" in a sentence?

Examples of "Brace" in a sentence: "wore a brace for the injured knee"; "bagged a brace of pheasants"; "the pep talk braced the team up for the second half".

Is "Brace" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Brace" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Brace"?

"Brace" is pronounced /ˈbrās/.

What is the origin of the word "Brace"?

"Brace" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French bracer to embrace, from brace. First known use: 14th centuryt.