1
as in bracing
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
the disgraced business executive poised herself for the difficult press conference
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Some state officials are bracing for a challenging autumn, which is when cases have typically spiked in past years.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
9 Oct. 2025 -
Following the massive explosion at the end of the Season 21 finale, Grey’s Anatomy fans had been bracing for the worst.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But she’s batted against by her own clients — including Danielle Macdonald, who is terminally afraid of accidentally killing her own newborn child — and the medical administration hovering around her daughter, demanding immediate improvements or else.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
9 Oct. 2025
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But the Trojans are hovering at 14 percent and would give their case some legitimacy by taking down the Wolverines.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Hunter, acquired at the trade deadline last season in a move viewed at the time as fortifying an already stout roster, will likely be a mainstay in the starting lineup, at least while Strus is out.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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Once that decision is made, Posey and the rest of the Giants’ brass will shift its attention to fortifying their roster, generally, and their pitching depth, specifically.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, the White House has ratcheted up the pressure to end the shutdown by floating a draft memo arguing that furloughed federal workers are not entitled to back pay after the government shutdown lifts.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
9 Oct. 2025
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And though Urban’s feelings about Kidman’s movies could have certainly played a part, there are other—bigger—rumors floating around.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And the trajectory in recent weeks has been very concerning as Israel was readying to launch an operation against Gaza City.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
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Rabat has prioritized readying the country to host matches for the 2030 Men’s soccer World Cup at the expense of greater investment in social services, demonstrators say.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Centuries ago, a fleet of Spanish ships laden with gold, silver and jewels taken from the New World was sailing back to Spain when a hurricane wrecked the flotilla on July 31, 1715, spilling the treasures into the sea, according to the 1715 Fleet Society.—
Kate Payne,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
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Emerald Cruises & Tours follows the seasons by sailing Europe’s rivers when blossoms and vineyards are at their peak, and heading south for Caribbean warmth in the winter.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Under the dim red lights, the audience and the band became one, swimming in a sea of sound.—
Ivan Kashinsky,
NPR,
8 Oct. 2025
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On the day of the incident, Bowker headed to the River Wyre near a cricket club in Garstang with his friends, even though his parents, Andromeda and David, prohibited him from swimming there, the Lancashire Post reported.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Poising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poising. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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