bracing

American  

[brey-sing] / ˈbreɪ sɪŋ /

adjective

1. strengthening; invigorating.

   This mountain air is bracing.

2. of, relating to, or serving as a brace.

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noun

1. a brace.

2. braces collectively.

   The bracing on this scaffold is weak.

3. material, as timber, used for braces.

bracing British  

/ ˈbreɪsɪŋ /

adjective

1. refreshing; stimulating; invigorating

   the air here is bracing

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noun

1. a system of braces used to strengthen or support

   the bracing supporting the building is perfectly adequate

Other Word Forms

• bracingly adverb
• bracingness noun

Etymology

Origin of bracing

First recorded in 1475–85; brace + -ing ¹ for the noun senses; brace + -ing ² for the adjective senses

Example Sentences

Medium and larger-sized producers are bracing for rises in energy prices as contracts are up for renewal, while smaller producers that buy on the spot are already feeling the strain, the federation said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Yet this scene, too, is ultimately reconfigured in surprising ways, leaving its meanings bracingly indefinite.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Our analysis of nearly 10,000 patients reveals that simple, accessible therapies like knee bracing and water-based exercise outperform high-tech options like ultrasound. This could reshape clinical guidelines to focus on safer, lower-cost interventions."

From Science Daily

This week the Transportation Security Administration is bracing to miss a second full paycheck.

From The Wall Street Journal

The entire industry is bracing for the possibility of missed games for the first time since the strike of 1994.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• invigorating
• refreshing