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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For decades, California has been bracing for the sea.—
Marcos Magaña,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026 -
Though the ballot measure also didn’t say the state needed to provide all of that money at once, lawmakers were already bracing for a budget shortfall last year and groaned under the strain of finding any more funding.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As of Monday afternoon, gas prices in the Chicago area were hovering around $3 dollars per gallon.—
Noel Brennan,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
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No publicist hovering off-screen.—
Ryan Brennan
March 3,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Iran already appears to be preparing for this option by fortifying its defenses around its nuclear assets, satellite images from Vantor indicate.—
Nancy A. Youssef,
The Atlantic,
21 Feb. 2026
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Inside church walls, some are already fortifying rooms and stockpiling food and blankets.—
Caitlin Hu,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Richard Jones, a crude oil analyst at Energy Aspects, told CNN that Iran has boosted exports since mid-February and private refineries can still access some Iranian oil through their floating storage vessels, most of which are off Singapore.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
4 Mar. 2026
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Guests can also book a special and more intimate dining experience on a floating platform, perched 50 meters above a nearby river convergence.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Blue Origin and Eutelsat's OneWeb, for instance, are following SpaceX's example, as are several Chinese companies, and smaller startups are readying their own endeavors.—
Monisha Ravisetti,
Space.com,
5 Mar. 2026
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Savannah Guthrie is readying her return to Today amid the ongoing search for her missing mother, Nancy Guthrie.—
Jodi Guglielmi,
Rolling Stone,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sri Lanka’s Minister of Health Nalinda Jayatissa reportedly told parliament Thursday that another Iranian vessel is sailing close to Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
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There are still nearly 100 ships outside the gulf, 40 of which are still sailing toward the region, MarineTraffic says.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For fish tables, players aim to shoot different fish types swimming across the screen using a virtual cannon or gun.—
Scott Butler,
Florida Times-Union,
6 Mar. 2026
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Another was clinging to a floating gas can, and two others were swimming for the shore.—
Delbert L. Chears,
Outdoor Life,
5 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Poising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poising. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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