POISES Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

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

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

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

This is not the first time countries around the world have criticized the IOC and its sister organization, the International Paralympic Committee, for their stances on Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine since February 2022.

— Mark Temnycky, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
In contrast to their Republican counterparts, the two have taken strong stances on the importance of DEI and dual-language programs.

— Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of stances

Verb

Inside, soy proteins repair and strengthen, copper peptides stimulate keratin production–aka the protein that fortifies and minimizes frizz–and pro-B vitamins amplify fullness.

— Ellie Davis, Vogue, 25 June 2026
The Olive and June product can also be applied daily to bare nails as an intensive strengthening treatment that not only fortifies your claws, but also repairs ridges, discoloration, and pesky peeling along the way.

— Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 3 June 2026

Definition of fortifies

Verb

As a result, the average restaurant profit margin now hovers between a precarious 3% and 5%, and industry data suggests that up to 42% of restaurants are currently struggling just to stay in the black.

— Robert Messer, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
The Iraq War hovers over the whole thing, obviously, and the post-9/11 America the film was born into is there.

— Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 28 July 2026

Definition of hovers

Noun

This meant moving outside of the traditional tableau of White House photojournalism—an orator on a pedestal—to show members of the press in postures of alertness or repose.

— Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 24 July 2026
Maintain two separate experiences with different compliance postures, or elevate the entire platform to meet the higher standard.

— Vishal Saxena, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of postures

Verb

Ukraine braces for winter Ukrainian drones hit a Wildberries warehouse in Russia’s Samara region — some 800 km from the front — while a strike on a residential building killed two in Engels, governors said.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026
The escalating blazes come as France braces for its fourth major heat wave of the year Tuesday, with soaring temperatures and arid conditions increasing pressure on crews battling massive wildfires near Bordeaux, according to Reuters.

— Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026

Definition of braces

Verb

Though officially Danish, Bornholm floats midway between Sweden, Germany, and Poland.

— Stephanie Gavan, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 July 2026
Streaks of light fly down the carriage in one dueling scene, and in the show’s climax, the lights go dark when a dementor — played by a hooded actor puppeteering the creature strapped to their torso — floats down the aisle.

— Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026

Definition of floats

Noun

The early Olympic movement reinforced those same attitudes by barring women from major track and field events altogether.

— Lindsey Darvin, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
The market is at an all-time high, while Michigan’s consumer sentiment index (which measures consumer future looking attitudes about the economy) is at an all-time low.

— Derek Horstmeyer, Fortune, 31 July 2026

Definition of attitudes

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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poised

poises

poising

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“Poises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poises. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of poises

noun

verb

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