1
as in bracing
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
the disgraced business executive poised herself for the difficult press conference
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hovering
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 poising
Verb
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So House Republicans are bracing for a flurry of attempts to tack on more, including the voter ID and citizenship verification bill.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
9 Apr. 2026 -
In the Bay Area, counties are bracing for catastrophic losses; Santa Clara County alone projects a shortfall of up to $1 billion over the next few years, forcing local governments to scramble for regressive sales taxes to fund what progressive federal taxes once covered.—
Markos Kounalakis,
Mercury News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Large black and yellow bees keep hovering around my wooden pergola.—
Miri Talabac,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Apr. 2026
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The average price of gas is hovering at near $4 a gallon for regular.—
Suzanne Nuyen,
NPR,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The serum is formulated with a holy grail powerhouse that consists of a fortifying complex, firming complex, and Matrixyl 3000—all pivotal for minimizing signs of aging.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
2 Apr. 2026
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Analysts noted similar activity occurred before last year’s Operation Midnight Hammer strikes, suggesting a pattern of fortifying critical facilities in anticipation of attacks.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Los Angeles reservoir that was notoriously empty during the 2025 Palisades fire has been drained once again as crews replace its floating cover, to the dismay of area residents who worry that there won’t be water available to fight wildfires.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
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The biopic has got other, far more pressing concerns on its mind, like the multitude of dollar signs floating before its eyes.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Hungary‘s media sector and Hollywood producers seeking its juicy tax incentive are readying for a new future after Péter Magyar’s Tisza party ended the 16-year rule of Viktor Orbán’s far-right rival Fidesz.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
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Alongside Cruise feeding and stroking his dying cat while walking around his mansion with his gut hanging out, there are shots of planes readying for battle and collapsing polar ice caps.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Over the course of eight and a half hours, a Northern California nurse hopped between bars during a Friday evening while sailing on a Carnival Cruise vacation.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
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Once tankers, carrying about 20% of the world's oil supply, start sailing through the strait again, jet fuel prices will return to normal — but not immediately.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Avoid swallowing water while swimming.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
19 Apr. 2026
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Some experts say the animal may have lost its way while swimming after a shoal of herring or during migration.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Poising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poising. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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