poseur

noun

po·​seur pō-ˈzər How to pronounce poseur (audio)
ˈpō-zər
: a person who pretends to be what he or she is not : an affected or insincere person

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The Pogues, poor kids from the island, are at constant odds with the Kooks, the rich poseurs. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2023 As his profligacy and parties flashed bigger and brighter, his guests saw in Low no mere party-boy poseur, but a man of apparently limitless means, whatever their origin, whose interests could even enhance their own ambitions. Michael Ames, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2023 The seats just don't get it, but our guess is that the target customers for the Olds and the Chevy don't worry too much about seats and ergonomics—that's for Porsche people and other poseurs. David E. Davis Jr., Car and Driver, 1 Mar. 2023 Kylo Ren is the J. Alfred Prufrock of space: a self-conscious poseur, needled by his own insecurities. Richard Brod, The New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2021 More often than not, a songwriter who sets out to work both sides and the middle of that street comes off like a poseur — a pleaser without much personality. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2023 Lumaj is a fan of Trump and free enterprise who views opponent Leora Levy as a conservative poseur, opponent Themis Klarides as an establishment Republican, and Blumenthal and Democrats as threats to capitalism. Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2022 Chaplin the promethean filmmaker was also his own worst enemy, a comedic and business genius, a political naif, even a poseur in certain ways, but also a man who could never escape either his childhood or his attraction to childlike women. John Anderson, WSJ, 9 Dec. 2021 Still, Seldom Seen is a real mover, not a political poseur like Jesse Jackson, Danny Glover, Cornel West, and Chuck D, who display their frustration ineffectually by pinning their hopes on Bernie Sanders. Armond White, National Review, 11 Mar. 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'poseur.' 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

French, literally, poser, from poser

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of poseur was in 1869

Dictionary Entries Near poseur

Cite this Entry

“Poseur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poseur. Accessed 1 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

poseur

noun
po·​seur pō-ˈzər How to pronounce poseur (audio)
: a person who pretends to be what he or she is not

More from Merriam-Webster on poseur

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