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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Not since John Cazale made The Godfather Part II (1974), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), and The Deer Hunter (1978) in sequence has a five-year stretch of acting been quite so bracing.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025 -
State and local health departments are now bracing for how the shutdown could affect their work to keep communities safe and healthy – and some worry about disruptions in communications with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies in times of need.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Crude is down 11% this year, with some analysts expecting prices, currently hovering above $60 a barrel, to dip into the low $50s as oversupply builds.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
2 Oct. 2025
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Safe havens surge While stocks are hovering near record highs, a surge in gold and silver prices is signaling lingering concern about political and economic uncertainty.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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All three have prompted an increase in security inquiries and interest in fortifying existing security, Kucera said, starting with executive clients and now from universities.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Oc Register,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The art news website ArtNet even pointed out that the scene in season 3 of White Lotus in which Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Woods are floating dead in the water appears to invoke the Millais painting.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
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Republicans are floating ways to put income caps on the subsidies or limit the number of people who are eligible to receive them.—
Franco Ordoñez,
NPR,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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In addition to motorsports, the company is readying to debut and launch the new GV90 SUV.—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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The first vessel is set to begin sailing in the spring of 2026.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Days are slower, spent reading, swimming in Lake Zurich or traveling with her partner to places like Brazil and Australia.—
Mike Winters
Tasia Jensen,
CNBC,
30 Sep. 2025
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Preparation guidance from the NWS includes avoiding not just swimming, but also staying off piers and other shoreline structures that may be subject to unexpected waves or currents.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Poising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poising. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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