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
-
Tennessee is among the states bracing for new redistricting efforts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 May 2026 -
As drought conditions persist, both farmers and consumers are bracing for what could be a costly year ahead.—
Brian Unger,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
With interest rates hovering above 20% on many cards, carrying a balance even for a few months can quickly snowball.—
Joshua Sidorowicz,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Today, with Apple’s market cap hovering around $4 trillion, that 10% stake could theoretically be worth more than $400 billion.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Think of calcium as fortifying fertilizer for your bones.—
Holly Carter,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Some disc golf discs have extra features that can range from being glow-in-the-dark to floating when landing in water.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
-
China has continued to purchase Iranian oil during the conflict, analysts say, still importing well over a million barrels per day last month – drawing down stock from floating storage already in Asia and unaffected by the US naval blockade of Hormuz.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Inside the nearly empty Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown LA last Monday afternoon, the air rumbles and judders and roars like a B-52 engine readying for takeoff.—
Erik Pedersen,
Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Think modern, not luxurious Voyager Technologies in Colorado is readying a space hotel for 2029.—
Devika Rao,
TheWeek,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
American Cruise Lines will also begin sailing to and from Philadelphia in June.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
-
The Global Sumud Flotilla set off for Gaza from Barcelona, Spain, earlier this month and was intercepted while sailing in the Mediterranean Sea near the Greek island of Crete.—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Wallace and her collaborators scrambled to get into the water; the whale was swimming in the wrong direction, toward some docks.—
Jessica Camille Aguirre,
New Yorker,
2 May 2026
-
Nicknamed Timmy by German media, the whale was spotted swimming near Germany’s Baltic Sea coast on March 3, far from its natural habitat in the Atlantic Ocean.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 May 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Poising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poising. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
