pose

1 of 3

verb (1)

posed; posing

transitive verb

1
a
: to set forth or offer for attention or consideration
let me pose a question
b
: to come to attention as : present
smoking poses a health risk
2
a
: to put or set in place
b
: to place (someone, such as a model) in a studied attitude

intransitive verb

1
: to assume a posture or attitude usually for artistic purposes
2
: to affect an attitude or character usually to deceive or impress
posed as a doctor to gain access to the ward

pose

2 of 3

noun

1
: a sustained posture
especially : one assumed for artistic effect
2
: an attitude, role, or characteristic assumed for effect

pose

3 of 3

verb (2)

posed; posing
Choose the Right Synonym for pose

pose, air, airs, affectation, mannerism mean an adopted way of speaking or behaving.

pose implies an attitude deliberately assumed in order to impress others.

her shyness was just a pose

air may suggest natural acquirement through environment or way of life.

a traveler's sophisticated air

airs always implies artificiality and pretentiousness.

snobbish airs

affectation applies to a trick of speech or behavior that strikes the observer as insincere.

the posh accent is an affectation

mannerism applies to an acquired eccentricity that has become a habit.

gesturing with a cigarette was her most noticeable mannerism

Examples of pose in a Sentence

Noun The photographs show the models in both clothed and nude poses. Hold that pose. It will make a great photograph. His disapproval of the war looks good to voters, but I bet it's just a pose.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The foursome posed for a photo and briefly toured the grounds before heading to an upscale seafood restaurant, BlackSalt, for dinner. Aamer Madhani, Fortune Asia, 10 Apr. 2024 For Kirill and his de facto boss, Russian President Vladimir Putin, this posed an almost existential threat. Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024 Oil prices are also on the rise, posing a threat to the US economy, according to Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s. John Towfighi, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024 Though streaming undoubtedly still poses a threat to movie theaters, the tides appear to be turning ever so slightly in exhibitors’ favor as studios rethink their release strategies and film fanatics continue to splurge on Imax and other premium large formats. Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024 Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet. Star-Telegram Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2024 The insurgency in Amhara could escalate and pose a real threat to Abiy’s control over Addis Ababa. Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024 Those who remained in the cellar were presumed to be too gravely wounded to pose a threat. Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024 If successful, a cyberattack costs an organization $4.45 million on average, posing a significant threat to companies worldwide, specifically small and medium ones. Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
Noun
Tap into our favorite tips on poses, lighting, and inspiration for the best style photos for your fashion blog. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 10 Apr. 2024 Park ambled over, hands behind his back in an avuncular pose. Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024 After killing them, Alcala placed their bodies in grotesque poses, sometimes photographing them. Christine Pelisek, Peoplemag, 4 Apr. 2024 The dancing is hers, all hers, as she singer spends her full 90 minutes on stage striking poses and being moved by the music in programmatic but viscerally engaging ways. Chris Willman, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024 Five-year-old Alison Yao from Pasadena struck a pose with R2D2. Diya Chacko, Orange County Register, 30 Mar. 2024 In the second pic, Seymour donned a feathery green coat with black dotted tights while striking a dramatic pose. Hanna Flanagan, Peoplemag, 28 Mar. 2024 The Thunder the Antelope set sports two different colored jerseys for each of the school's colors while separate Wilbur and Wilma bobbleheads will be showcased in new dancing poses, according to the statement. Coleby Phillips, The Arizona Republic, 27 Mar. 2024 Its models — scouted by Stephanie Francis, the project’s co-director and designer — strike vulnerable, yet confident poses, revealing how cancer has transformed their bodies while also asserting themselves in their overhauled embodiment of beauty, body image and gender expression. Kristen Rogers, CNN, 27 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French poser, from Vulgar Latin *pausare, from Late Latin, to stop, rest, pause, from Latin pausa pause

Verb (2)

short for earlier appose, from Middle English apposen, alteration of opposen to oppose

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1818, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1593, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pose was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near pose

Cite this Entry

“Pose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pose. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

pose

1 of 2 verb
posed; posing
1
a
: to hold or cause to hold a special position of the body
posed for fashion photographers
b
: to pretend to be what one is not
pose as a soldier
2
: to offer for consideration
posed a question

pose

2 of 2 noun
1
: a position of the body held for a special purpose
2
: a pretended attitude
my cheerfulness was a pose

More from Merriam-Webster on pose

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