as in stances
a general way of holding the body
the woman's poise suggested that she was accustomed to having her wishes carried out promptly and without question
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in fortifies
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 hovers
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poises
Noun
-
Despite the struggle over taxes and their differing stances on public safety and Israel, Hochul and Mamdani have forged an alliance, finding common ground over expanding childcare and a need to build more housing.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026 -
In the mid-20th century, both parties' stances on racial equity began to switch.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Justin Faulk immediately fortifies Detroit’s second defense pair next to Ben Chiarot.—
The Athletic NHL Staff,
New York Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Adding keratin back into hair fortifies the strands ultimately yielding stronger, healthier hair.—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The average for 3-point shooting, pro and college, hovers around 35%.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The specter of October 7, 2023, hovers over the movie, as does the aftermath that’s left thousands more dead.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Same president, same day, same strike — two contradictory postures.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
-
This was done through the observation of the breath, leading to a comprehensive awareness of bodily sensations in all postures and at all times when not sleeping.—
Daniel M. Stuart,
The Conversation,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Vietnam’s airlines are suspending some domestic routes as the country braces for jet fuel shortages.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Whenever the weather changes suddenly, or the skyline becomes shrouded in a windy haze, Fernanda Camarillo braces herself for an asthma attack.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Their son, John, likes watching the games and their daughter, Kyla, likes the root beer floats on the weekends.—
Charlie Lapastora,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
On the 16, a slender crescent moon appears to the lower right of Jupiter, while directly below the moon floats a third bright planet, Mercury.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This test measures not only resilience but also the various ideological and emotional factors typically associated with it, such as family support, personal competence, and faith in God — a higher score reflects more of these attitudes and supports.—
Namir Khaliq,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
-
From a public health perspective, understanding these attitudes is essential.—
Emily Bache,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When the car hits paved road and the basket stops dancing as much, the beetle, perhaps confused, readies her wings.—
María Ospina,
The Dial,
31 Mar. 2026
-
As SpaceX potentially readies to begin the progress of going public in the coming days, investors already have funds to play it.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Poises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poises. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
