1
as in confident
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in braced
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 hovered
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 poised
Ingmar Rentzhog, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Emily is a poised and successful art gallery director whose life takes a dark turn after a brief, impulsive affair with a magnetic Italian artist, Carlo (Antonio Cupo).
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 10 July 2025
Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Edge rusher Jayden Woods is poised to make a Year 2 leap after an encouraging freshman campaign.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for poised
Adjective
Later that year, political pressure forced the government to pause licensing plans, though companies remain poised to resume if approvals restart.
—Ingmar Rentzhog, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Emily is a poised and successful art gallery director whose life takes a dark turn after a brief, impulsive affair with a magnetic Italian artist, Carlo (Antonio Cupo).
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 10 July 2025
Verb
Photographers stood poised, fingertips hovering over shutter buttons.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Edge rusher Jayden Woods is poised to make a Year 2 leap after an encouraging freshman campaign.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for poised
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poised
Adjective
-
The surface of this balance ball has a nonslip coating to provide a confident grip.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Senior forward Lucas Johnson stayed confident.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This is surprising for something that is supposed to require less hovering, especially if the host is out of hearing range of the device's alerts.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Some fans braced themselves for the possibility of another Crescent City update or perhaps a short novella—no shade, but expectations were cautiously low.—
Fleurine Tideman,
Glamour,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The top echelons of the Islamic Republic boast a deep bench of mostly hard-liners — not surprising, perhaps, for a nation that has braced for attack for years, if not decades.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Prices have wavered since then, and gold’s value hovered below $5,200 an ounce on March 6.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
8 Mar. 2026
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In 2025, the number of mobile connections hovered around 200 million for a population of 237 million people.—
Kamal Ahmed,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
At the same time, his tech-entrepreneur client—a longtime friend who also recently decamped from the West Coast—asked that the 2,063-square-foot bachelor pad function as a refuge: plush, composed, and calm in the middle of the city.—
Ian Volner,
Architectural Digest,
26 Feb. 2026
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And so Ekman-Larsson elevated his game and played some of the most physical and composed hockey of his career as the Leafs stumbled.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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To maintain the immersive illusion, Iñárritu eschewed traditional hanging fabric.—
Robert Lang,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Leaving either of those bare was a topic of discussion, Carney says; a trade-off between the goal of paying homage to Steinway’s legacy and getting enough hanging space.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Cream of Wheat Has More Vitamins and Minerals Cream of wheat is fortified with iron and B vitamins.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Verywell Health,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Many options are available, including dairy-free, lactose-free, gluten-free, keto-friendly, paleo-friendly, organic, non-GMO, or fortified with vitamins and minerals.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Over the course of just one minute, the gunman sailed down the city’s bustling Sixth Street and then exited his car, firing off even more bullets, ultimately killing three people and injuring 13 others before he was fatally shot by police.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
-
For now, the diplomatic ship appears to have sailed.—
Javed Ali,
Fortune,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Poised.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poised. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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