poseur

noun

po·​seur pō-ˈzər 

ˈpō-zər

: a person who pretends to be what they are not : an affected or insincere person

Examples of poseur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Gloria is a user, a poseur extraordinaire; her fluttery flamboyance, rooted in insecurity, summons another Gloria, the one from Sunset Blvd. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Aug. 2026

In place of San Francisco’s decaying arts bohemia of poseurs and charlatans, they can be said to be creating an alternate bohemia. — Michael Bernick, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Citing casual cultural interests risked being exposed as a poseur. — Dan Greene, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026

The nature of the American political system propagates scads of lawyers and poseurs who blather on endlessly, promising everything and delivering little. — Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, poser, from poser

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for poseur

• chauffeur
• cockspur
• concur
• confer
• defer
• demur
• deter
• hotspur
• incur
• infer
• inter
• jagir

Kids Definition

poseur

noun

po·​seur pō-ˈzər 

: a person who pretends to be what he or she is not