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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in fortifies
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 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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poises
Noun
-
Perhaps both players would have remained stalwart in their stances.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026 -
The intelligence director, who had taken passionately anti-war stances as a member of Congress, walked an awkward line.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Excited, yet anxious, over the prospect of reconnecting with the man that got away, the pair fortifies themselves with cocktails and bubbly during a boozy dinner.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Justin Faulk immediately fortifies Detroit’s second defense pair next to Ben Chiarot.—
The Athletic NHL Staff,
New York Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Around his head hovers a cluster of disembodied faces — creepy alt-Altmans, their expressions ranging from anger to open-mouthed woe.—
Cath Virginia,
The Verge,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Numbers began to skyrocket around the time of the Artemis II launch on April 1st, peaking at around 12,434 at time of writing— a huge jump against the game's standard average player count, which hovers around 3,000 to 4,000.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Triggers can be smells, sounds, places, postures or tones of voice.—
Dr. Andrew Garner,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
-
On this tour, the postures struck are much fewer and farther in-between, or less planned and deliberate-seeming.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While Silicon Valley braces for overnight layoffs, is China faring any better?—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Vietnam’s airlines are suspending some domestic routes as the country braces for jet fuel shortages.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
So Fasanara floats the cash, collects interest from the seller and directly assumes payment from the buying squad.—
Justin Birnbaum,
Sportico.com,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Just as Earth has two very different poles — the Antarctic south pole, marked by a massive continent, and the icy north pole, whose ice floats atop the waters of the Arctic ocean — so too does Saturn.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Our beliefs, attitudes and habits can either reinforce or challenge ageism.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
There are signs that attitudes toward skilled trades jobs are changing.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The news comes as Japan readies to take the spotlight at this year’s market after being named the 2026 Country of Honor.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
15 Apr. 2026
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The worst possible time would be in two weeks, as the team readies for its first playoff series since 2019.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Antonio Express-News,
7 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Poises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poises. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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