1
as in confident
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in braced
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
the disgraced business executive poised herself for the difficult press conference
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hovered
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air
the falcon poised in the air for an instant before diving to attack its prey
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of poised
Ingmar Rentzhog, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Emily is a poised and successful art gallery director whose life takes a dark turn after a brief, impulsive affair with a magnetic Italian artist, Carlo (Antonio Cupo).
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 10 July 2025
Brian Bennett, Time, 11 May 2026
Known as one of the best talent representatives in town, especially for identifying international actors poised for breakout opportunities in Hollywood, Liebman most recently was an agent and partner at UTA in the Motion Picture Talent division.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for poised
Adjective
Later that year, political pressure forced the government to pause licensing plans, though companies remain poised to resume if approvals restart.
—Ingmar Rentzhog, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Emily is a poised and successful art gallery director whose life takes a dark turn after a brief, impulsive affair with a magnetic Italian artist, Carlo (Antonio Cupo).
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 10 July 2025
Verb
White House officials had insisted on cuts to Medicaid that were poised to drain billions from North Carolina hospitals and drive up state costs.
—Brian Bennett, Time, 11 May 2026
Known as one of the best talent representatives in town, especially for identifying international actors poised for breakout opportunities in Hollywood, Liebman most recently was an agent and partner at UTA in the Motion Picture Talent division.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for poised
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poised
Adjective
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Creating pieces that make women feel comfortable and confident through every stage of motherhood has always been at the core of Bumpsuit.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
14 May 2026
-
Silver benefits from both ‘risk-on’ and ‘risk-off’ environments ‘Risk-on’ describes markets where investors feel confident and chase growth.—
Sharon Wu,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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This is surprising for something that is supposed to require less hovering, especially if the host is out of hearing range of the device's alerts.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Eveningside’s smaller arms holding on to the chains while Morningside’s longer arms propelled them, her fists and excess joints braced against the ground; their span lengthening, extending and retracting in the girls’ to and fro.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Lone lost both arms in an accident at the age of eight and taught himself to play cricket using his legs, batting with the bat braced between his neck and chin and bowling with his feet.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Yet hotel occupancy rates that year hovered at a dismal 30 percent.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
-
That sense of momentum hovered over the entire fair.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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McIlroy overcame some early inconsistency to put together a composed round, while Burns leaned on excellent ball-striking to match him at the top.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Before Tuesday night, Konate had looked much more composed and commanding.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Opt for bigger hanging bulbs, discrete flickers, or even hanging sheaths.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
3 Apr. 2026
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To maintain the immersive illusion, Iñárritu eschewed traditional hanging fabric.—
Robert Lang,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Infusing this with her music has fortified her place in pop.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2026
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Formula is fortified with vitamin K, but even with that, experts agree, babies should still get the shot.—
Duaa Eldeib,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Over the course of May 9 and 10, scientists at the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory worked around the clock to develop a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for Andes hantavirus, which has sickened at least 10 and killed three people who sailed on board the MV Hondius.—
Tanya Lewis,
Scientific American,
18 May 2026
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The ship then sailed for the port of Praia in Cape Verde, but was denied permission to dock.—
Mary Whitfill Roeloffs,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Poised.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poised. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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