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
-
Pawlikowski has never been prone to go long, but at just 82 minutes, Fatherland is as bracing and brief as a polar-bear plunge.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
15 May 2026 -
The company’s relationship with Apple is strained and the two are bracing for potential lawsuits after the integration of ChatGPT into Apple devices has gone slowly.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
These sausage bites are the appetizer that will keep crowds hovering around the buffet table.—
Nellah Bailey McGough,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
-
Throughout the evening, Sting — in tight black leather pants, a white graphic T-shirt, and chunky black boots — never appeared winded, never reached for water, never dabbed sweat with a towel despite temperatures still hovering in the 80s well after sunset.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Butka’s arrival continues a growing trend this offseason at Boise State, which is fortifying its inside game with taller, stronger bodies.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Think of calcium as fortifying fertilizer for your bones.—
Holly Carter,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The lobby’s circular floor plan gives the illusion of a lily pad floating atop a koi pond.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
-
In both Wilde’s play and Strauss’s opera, Salome is obsessed with Jokanaan (John the Baptist), who is being held as a political prisoner in a cistern, his disembodied voice floating around the stage.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Since then, Musk's team has been readying a fresh design of the rocket, which could be the version that finally reaches orbit and demonstrates key capabilities required to take humans deep into space.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
This will be the 12th full-scale Starship test flight, and the first since last October, after delays in readying V3 for its first launch.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
The pair finished up with Colbert sending a congratulatory cake from the network – a multi-layered wedding-style beast – sailing downward.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
-
But a small number of ships with Iranian cargo are still sailing.—
Adina Renner,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Medet Zheenaliev, 30, spotted four girls swimming in Lake Issyk-Kul in his home country of Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday, and one of them was reportedly pulled under the current.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
-
Their days are spent swimming in the lake, picnicking by the beach and debating poetry and literature.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 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
“Poising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poising. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
