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poises 1 of 2

noun

plural of poise
as in stances
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

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poises

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of poise
1
as in fortifies
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally the disgraced business executive poised herself for the difficult press conference

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hovers
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for poises
  1. stances
  2. fortifies
  3. hovers
  4. postures
  5. braces
  6. floats
  7. attitudes
  8. readies
Noun
  • Michigan has offered a particularly clear example this cycle as el Sayed attempts to appeal to independents and centrist Republicans after taking deeply partisan stances.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Some people want more charisma, better interviews or more stances on political topics.
    — Josh Yohe, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of stances
Verb
  • The addition of cotton and raw material-producing countries like Egypt and Ethiopia further fortifies a strong sourcing platform that already includes manufacturing giants India and China.
    — Mayu Saini, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Defensively, the return of Daley and Wyatt fortifies a line that already had two other starters back in Mario Landino and Tyrique Tucker.
    — Michael Marot, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of fortifies
Verb
  • Future Oscar-winning costume designer Sandy Powell hovers in the background and gives a brief interview, looking absurdly young.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Yet, one story hovers over the organization and threatens to mar the good vibes.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of hovers
Noun
  • Alice and Gemma really don’t seem to get along, and neither seems inclined to back down from their hostile postures.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026
  • That is a chain of very different tasks and different security postures.
    — Venkata Pavan Kumar Gummadi, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of postures
Verb
  • The California coast braces for another battering California beach communities are expected to see rising sea levels in the coming weeks as El Niño continues to strengthen, with more sand erosion and damage possible, according to new data.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • These studies compared back support braces either on their own, with no other interventions, or their use in conjunction with other pain management recommendations such as physical activity and/or medication.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of braces
Verb
  • Boaters of all backgrounds will wade into the world of watercraft this weekend as the Orlando Boat Show floats into Central Florida.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Lil Uzi Vert floats in and out of the beat, allowing the rhythm to do much of the work and creating a record that feels almost impossible to experience sitting still.
    — Brittney Williams, Billboard, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of floats
Noun
  • Polling in foreign countries shows a dramatic shift in attitudes toward the United States.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026
  • This is why trading of Dell stock Wednesday will so heavily influence attitudes on the AI trade, at least in the near term.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of attitudes
Verb
  • The battery charges itself, and the primer pump readies the carb before starting.
    — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Jorge Silva | Reuters As Shein readies for its Hong Kong IPO, potential investors are getting a look at the harsh reality tariffs have brought for the fast-fashion retailer.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of readies
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Poises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poises. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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