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
  • Residents of the area were bracing themselves, plagued by the uncertainty of what was to come.
    — Megan Janetsky, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Areas bracing for dangerous conditions include Santa Fe, New Mexico; Flagstaff, Arizona; Grand Canyon National Park; Zion National Park; and Bryce Canyon National Park.
    — Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of bracing
Verb
  • The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art’s central plaza, which spreads out beneath the building’s curved, hovering form, was always meant to be a generous civic space.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Clear blue skies are hovering over the Pharmalot campus, where a cool breeze is wafting by and the official mascots are bounding about the grounds in search of critters.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of hovering
Verb
  • Organizations that invest in trust, well-being, continuous learning and upskilling will be best positioned to attract and retain talent while fortifying business performance.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
  • On Monday, Kiffin said LSU would consider fortifying his team’s defensive tackle depth with another player.
    — Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of fortifying
Verb
  • Propped up against them were colorful large-scale oil paintings of orbs floating against blurry color fields.
    — Ryan Sullivan, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Walls, backsplash areas and the space beneath upper cabinets rarely get treated as storage, even though rails, pegboards, magnetic strips, floating shelves and hanging baskets can absorb a meaningful share of what currently sits on the counter.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of floating
Verb
  • Last month, a judge denied Anthony's motion for a new trial, though the family is readying another appeal.
    — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The city’s public works department has already activated its long-standing checklist for winter preparations, which includes being proactive about clearing storm drains, inlets and channels, and readying sandbags at about 30 flood-prone locations.
    — Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of readying
Verb
  • More cruise ships like Oceania Marina and Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot are sailing to remote destinations like Sisimiut, Narsaq, and Disko Island.
    — CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Mandel took the sentiment a step further, comparing Cowell’s absence to sailing without the person normally steering the ship.
    — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of sailing
Verb
  • More energetic outdoor activities include swimming in the saltwater pool, walking or jogging on the Deck 15 track, paddle tennis, golf cages, and a mini-golf course.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Two-foot-long cutthroat trout swimming en masse up rivers for only a few weeks each year, turns out, are a siren’s song for anglers from around the world.
    — Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 23 Sep. 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.

Browse Nearby Words

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 2 Oct. 2026.

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