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
-
Even there, Grose said, Kiley’s recent stances could offer him room to draw contrasts.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
28 Feb. 2026 -
Although limited campaign and public policy information is available, Hart shared with the League of Women Voters of Houston his stances on education, healthcare, immigration and more.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Adding keratin back into hair fortifies the strands ultimately yielding stronger, healthier hair.—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Trading for Vucevic fortifies Boston’s front court–and provides a valuable play-making skill set to complement Jaylen Brown in a season worthy of MVP consideration.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That door still hovers in my mind, the dark wood; dark, too, around the edges where light usually shone.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Today, that number hovers around 500.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
These emotions have dominated cultural postures toward straight relationships since #MeToo, if not since the start of what Lora Kelley has referred to in this magazine as the era of the swipe.—
Lily Meyer,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2026
-
What do collecting old editions of Dungeons & Dragons monster manuals, securing the same tailgate spot for over 20 years and mastering yoga postures have in common?—
Emily Messina,
The Conversation,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Merck is shaking up the leadership of its main pharmaceutical unit as the drugmaker braces for sales pressure later this decade, The Wall Street Journal reports.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
23 Feb. 2026
-
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency effective Sunday at noon as the state braces for up to 20 inches of snowfall.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Garden District is one of those areas that floats between yesterday and tomorrow, where Greek- and Italianate-style homes adorned with ornate cast iron and sweeping verandas provide shade for people watching and respite from the commercial center.—
Kristin Braswell,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Feb. 2026
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But even with hundreds of objects, the show barely floats the question of how that chemistry operated, let alone explore it.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But by the early 20th century, changing attitudes around early childhood and development had made the nursery a livelier environment.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
22 Feb. 2026
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Van Der Beek’s own attitudes about traditional medicine are difficult to pin down.—
Benjamin Svetkey,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Additional riders will be then invited as the company readies service for all later this year.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Martinez, who has been with the district for 13 years, delivered the news of his resignation as the teachers union, Twin Rivers United Educators, readies to strike.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
20 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Poises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poises. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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