1
as in equilibrium
a condition in which opposing forces are equal to one another
there must be a poise between the rights of the individual and the rights of society
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in posture
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
1
as in to brace
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 to hover
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 poise
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
15 June 2026
While an archery set is a more conventional instrument of death, it’s wielded with eerie poise by one diminutive villain played by Yayan Ruhian.
—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
29 June 2026
During Season 10, a newly confident Batula — who seemed to despise Cooke from the first minute of the premiere episode — appeared to be poised to launch a triumphant post-divorce arc, free at last from Cooke’s belittlement and verbal abuse.
—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for poise
Noun
Anjali Sud, head of Tubi, steered it through significant growth and gained acclaim for her poise and business acumen.
—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
15 June 2026
While an archery set is a more conventional instrument of death, it’s wielded with eerie poise by one diminutive villain played by Yayan Ruhian.
—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Verb
MetLife is poised to lead the industry in margin expansion (20–25 bps annually) by keeping expense growth firmly below revenue gains.
—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
29 June 2026
During Season 10, a newly confident Batula — who seemed to despise Cooke from the first minute of the premiere episode — appeared to be poised to launch a triumphant post-divorce arc, free at last from Cooke’s belittlement and verbal abuse.
—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for poise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poise
Noun
-
The clock is ticking, again, and their resources and equilibrium have dwindled, again.
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But Claire has her limits from the lopsided equilibrium — Libras bounce when the romantic balance is off-kilter.
Noun
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The tool, developed by independent AI engineer Luke Geel, analyzes past results and players’ activity—from posture to blink rate—spotting connections that might be imperceptible to the average viewer but visible to top pros.
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Beyond brain tumors, other advances across neuroscience, like corrective spine surgery, have allowed doctors to restore posture and mobility in patients with severe spinal deformities.
Verb
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In the three years between Special and Bitch, Lizzo began bracing herself for a sharp decline in public interest by creating music that existed on the outskirts of what audiences came to know her for.
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Now, as traders fear the bitcoin house of cards could be collapsing, the market is braced for the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation to cement an interest rate hike later this year.
Verb
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Dark clouds hovered around the stadium just before kickoff, threatening to delay the start of the game, but Mother Nature apparently is a soccer fan, because the storm veered away.
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Temperatures in the beach cities pleasantly hovered in the 70s, a stark contrast to East Coast communities broiling in a heat wave.
Noun
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Share a clear stance in a meeting, because your words may invite thoughtful dialogue and widen your map.
-
The then-president fielded a question on Swift’s stance outside of the White House.
Verb
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Or mountains of chips covered in mole or salsa fortified with chile pasilla in Oaxaca.
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All of this came after Florida’s four trades for star forward Brady Tkachuk, starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom, backup goaltender Akira Schmid and fourth-line forward Garnet Hathaway to fortify what on paper was already a stout roster.
Verb
-
The usual carousel of famous people making the podcast rounds — Kamala Harris on Call Her Daddy, Tyrese on Joe Budden, the endless stream of tiny heads floating in front of screenshots of articles — is interrupted by something startlingly familiar.
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The nucleus disassembles, letting these crucial genetic instructions float free in the cell’s soupy interior.
Noun
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Rendon’s attitude and performance became so disappointing that the Angels effectively told him to stay away in 2026 and restructured the final year of his contract.
-
The fans got their wish after a roller coaster of emotions as Team USA, down a man for the final 36 minutes after a Folarin Balogun red card, showed grit, poise and never-say-die attitude to hang on for a 2-0 win to advance to the Round of 16.
Cite this Entry
“Poise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poise. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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