1
as in bracing
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
the disgraced business executive poised herself for the difficult press conference
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hovering
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 poising
Verb
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The Gulf is open for business again, and Cordes is bracing himself.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026 -
For example, Glover, Koch and Hansen practiced CPR in space, taking turns bracing against Orion’s bulkhead to gain leverage to simulate chest compressions and rescue breathing while recording the proceedings for future crew trainings.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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With Brent crude hovering above $115 and the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, the question is whether the labor market’s low-hire, low-fire equilibrium can survive an energy shock.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
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Kid Rock came under fire by the US Army after the musician shared a clip of what appeared to be military helicopters hovering above his Nashville residence.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Analysts noted similar activity occurred before last year’s Operation Midnight Hammer strikes, suggesting a pattern of fortifying critical facilities in anticipation of attacks.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
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Elevating their expertise and fortifying their decades-long involvement in the process of independent evaluation and guidance is critical to restore public trust in federal policymaking.—
Jerome Adams,
Fortune,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The photos show a boat floating over a sea clouded with what the groups say is oil, which appears to be streaming out of a platform.—
Megan Janetsky,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
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His drive and floating feed to Zvonimir Ivišić was part of Illinois’ finishing spurt against Iowa.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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SpaceX, which maintains a large presence in Southern California’s burgeoning aerospace sector, is readying an initial public offering possibly for this summer that is expected to be the largest in history, perhaps raising as much as $75 billion.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
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Florida's Space Coast is readying for a big crowd for the Artemis 2 moon launch — but just how big is unclear.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Valid for British Isles Explorer itineraries sailing in 2026 or 2027, or for another itinerary and extension of equal or lesser value—within the same stateroom category or lower—during the same period, if the itinerary and extension offered is not available.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
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Another bulk carrier, the Mac Hope, identifying itself as sailing under Chinese ownership and with a Chinese crew, also transited the strait on Monday, MarineTraffic data show.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Authorities also suggest swimming near a lifeguard station.—
Ted Scouten,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
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Several prisoners attempted to escape by swimming to the mainland, but the attempts were mostly thwarted by the water's cold temperatures and strong current.—
Noe Padilla,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Poising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poising. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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