posing 1 of 3

adjective

as in pretending

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

posing

2 of 3

verb (1)

present participle of pose
as in suggesting
to set before the mind for consideration posed an interesting question for the visiting astronomer

Synonyms & Similar Words

posing

3 of 3

verb (2)

present participle of pose
as in puzzling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty utterly posed by the barrage of questions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of posing
Verb
The crabs were first spotted in the Mediterranean Sea in the last century but really began wreaking havoc only around a decade ago, when their population surged, posing a threat both to native biodiversity and to the fishing industry. — Gennaro Tomma, Scientific American, 25 Aug. 2026 Supposedly posing a threat to their idyll on the outskirts are various marauding splinter groups running amok through the barren wasteland of the American Mountain West. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2026 Included in her post was Vandanapu and the rest of the cast posing in front of a picture of the Friends cast, a sitcom they were compared to throughout its run. — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026 The Traitors star could be seen posing nude from behind while bathing in an outdoor shower. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026 In snaps from throughout the years, the teenagers could be seen smiling and posing with each other and their mom. — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026 Nonetheless, the costs of intercepting incoming munitions could prove particularly high if targets are engaged over populated areas, with drones, defensive munitions and falling debris all posing risks to people and property on the ground. — David Brennan, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026 Hickey is shown in a photo wearing camo while posing with four dead turkeys. — Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 21 Aug. 2026 Spitze could continue posing a danger in prison if officials are not careful, researcher Becca Spinks told the Washington Examiner. — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 20 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for posing
  1. pretending
  2. suggesting
  3. puzzling
  4. duplicitous
  5. proposing
  6. baffling
  7. hypocritical
  8. offering
Adjective
  • There can be no more pretending, briefing or hiding.
    — Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Definition of pretending
Verb
  • When Winter played Carnegie Hall in December 2025, after a massive Geese tour, many attendees noted Anderson and Benny Safdie on stage with cameras, suggesting a film project was in the works.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Researchers noted that many cases of dementia were not captured on death certificates, suggesting the burden of neurodegenerative disease among former players may be underestimated.
    — Dr. Onaola Adedeji, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of suggesting
Verb
  • Shortstop Jeremy Peña’s puzzling decision not to attempt a throw home as the go-ahead run scored only exacerbated matters.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • As the days get shorter and cooler, a simple evening spent puzzling, snacking, and talking may be exactly the kind of gathering everyone needs.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of puzzling
Adjective
  • Cypher probably is best known for his role as the politics-savvy and sometimes duplicitous Police Chief Fletcher Daniels in more than 70 episodes of NBC’s 1980s cop drama Hill Street Blues from 1981-87.
    — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The more beautiful a woman, the more likely her exterior attributes displayed a duplicitous nature.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Definition of duplicitous
Verb
  • Boulder Valley School District leaders are proposing a major reshaping of schools across the district as enrollment continues to decline.
    — Sarah Horbacewicz, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Back in 2021, Parton asked that a bill proposing a statue in her likeness at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville be dropped.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of proposing
Verb
  • Despite some protests about a dog contributing to the game, Buddy — clad in a bright blue jersey and two pairs of basketball kicks — scores baffling basket after baffling basket, leaving the other team shocked.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
  • While Loathe’s baffling compositional choices may jump out first, the album’s most glaring flaw is its production.
    — Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026
Definition of baffling
Adjective
  • There is something deeply hypocritical about discovering and using the language of women’s liberation only when your own status, reputation, or income is at stake.
    — Laura Jung, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026
  • That some people in these industries, including those who are well paid, would look at our economy and seek out other ways of doing things is neither hypocritical nor surprising.
    — Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of hypocritical
Verb
  • Today, many of those same routes have found a second life, carrying travelers through some of the West’s most spectacular scenery while offering a glimpse into Colorado’s storied past.
    — Jocelyn Rowley, Denver Post, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Since 1992, Anthropologie has been offering women an assortment of clothing, shoes, accessories, home decor, bridal, furniture and more.
    — Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of offering

Browse Nearby Words

posies
posing
posing (as)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Posing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/posing. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of southpaw

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All