poises 1 of 2

noun

plural of poise
as in stances
a general way of holding the body the woman's poise suggested that she was accustomed to having her wishes carried out promptly and without question

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poises

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of poise
1
as in fortifies
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally the disgraced business executive poised herself for the difficult press conference

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hovers
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for poises
  1. stances
  2. fortifies
  3. hovers
  4. postures
  5. braces
  6. floats
  7. attitudes
  8. readies
Noun
  • As rising energy prices drive up inflation, several central banks across the Asia-Pacific region are shifting toward hawkish stances.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • But few are as stark, or potentially as consequential, as their stances on the war against Iran.
    — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of stances
Verb
  • Defensively, the return of Daley and Wyatt fortifies a line that already had two other starters back in Mario Landino and Tyrique Tucker.
    — Michael Marot, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Inside, soy proteins repair and strengthen, copper peptides stimulate keratin production–aka the protein that fortifies and minimizes frizz–and pro-B vitamins amplify fullness.
    — Ellie Davis, Vogue, 25 June 2026
Definition of fortifies
Verb
  • The topic of head injuries and their long-lasting impact on players is a constant conversation that hovers over the NFL.
    — Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The average temperature in Pittsburgh from December to February typically hovers between the upper 20s to the mid to upper 30s Fahrenheit, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.
    — Mariyam Muhammad, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of hovers
Noun
  • Alice and Gemma really don’t seem to get along, and neither seems inclined to back down from their hostile postures.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026
  • That is a chain of very different tasks and different security postures.
    — Venkata Pavan Kumar Gummadi, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of postures
Verb
  • Tropical Storm Moke is making its closest approach to Hawaii as the state braces for its second tropical threat in less than a week after deadly Hurricane Lala tore through parts of the islands.
    — Tyler Ory, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • News of Formosa’s death comes as Southern California braces for another week of extreme heat that weather forecasters have predicted will be the hottest yet in this already very hot year.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of braces
Verb
  • Boaters of all backgrounds will wade into the world of watercraft this weekend as the Orlando Boat Show floats into Central Florida.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Lil Uzi Vert floats in and out of the beat, allowing the rhythm to do much of the work and creating a record that feels almost impossible to experience sitting still.
    — Brittney Williams, Billboard, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of floats
Noun
  • The music on that cassette helped define the sound, style and attitudes of a generation.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The region’s attitudes toward hospitality are a natural outgrowth of these broader social graces.
    — Annie Joy Williams, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of attitudes
Verb
  • Jorge Silva | Reuters As Shein readies for its Hong Kong IPO, potential investors are getting a look at the harsh reality tariffs have brought for the fast-fashion retailer.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Renovations continue as the campus slowly readies more classrooms.
    — Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of readies
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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Cite this Entry

“Poises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poises. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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