poising

verb

present participle of poise
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
  1. bracing
  2. hovering
  3. fortifying
  4. floating
  5. readying
  6. sailing
  7. swimming
Verb
  • The House Judiciary Committee is bracing to tackle other corruption issues, like pardons.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • More showers and possible flooding are expected Tuesday afternoon, though not as widespread, and residents are bracing for them.
    — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of bracing
Verb
  • When he’s described as cowardly in print by the ever-hovering gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (Sarah Drew, Grey’s Anatomy), Stewart follows his instincts and enlists.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Bitcoin is hovering around the $80,000 mark, lifting the broader crypto space.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of hovering
Verb
  • Tensions between North and South Korea have risen since Pyongyang began fortifying its border in April 2024.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Tensions between North and South Korea have risen since Pyongyang began fortifying its ‌border ⁠in April 2024.
    — Reuters, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of fortifying
Verb
  • The contracts involve subsea production systems and pipelines, a floating control unit and drilling rig services.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Scientists have estimated up to around 13 million metric tons of plastics enter the ocean each year, but only a fraction of has been found floating at the surface — around 250,000 tons.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of floating
Verb
  • The market is readying itself for the 2026 midterm election results Tuesday, and investors are already showing signs of caution at the prospect of a Democratic sweep.
    — Sean Conlon, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Constant reports of corruption and profiteering are a hallmark of his second term, and Democrats are readying literally countless investigations of him and his family, and their businesses and associates.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of readying
Verb
  • Charging infrastructure at ports would supply the electricity needed for operation, allowing the concept to avoid direct carbon emissions while sailing.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Chuck Zimmerman, who is described by his supporters as a Navy veteran who was intercepted by the Russian navy while sailing in international waters.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of sailing
Verb
  • It’s estimated about 25% of the sunscreen people apply to their skin washes off while swimming or wading in the ocean.
    — Matthew Perrone, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • For twenty years, McCarthy has been swimming against the current, writing novels that reflect, with unusual intensity, his disdain for the conventional underpinnings of literary fiction.
    — Max Callimanopulos, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of swimming
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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poises
poising
poison
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Cite this Entry

“Poising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poising. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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