POISED Synonyms: 178 Similar and Opposite Words

poised 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of poised

as in confident

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

as in hovering

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

poised

2 of 2

verb

past tense of poise

as in braced

to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally the disgraced business executive poised herself for the difficult press conference

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in hovered

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

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 poised

Adjective

Growing up a ballet dancer, Geier is very poised, mindful, and demure. — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 7 May 2026 So my oldest, Richard, is super poised and has always sort of been the rock for our family. — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 26 Mar. 2026

Verb

Amazon is poised to get a considerable boost from a combination of catalysts, according to Morgan Stanley. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026 From Hospital Hill to the Country Club Plaza, major construction and expansion projects are poised to reshape Kansas City’s health care, arts and sports landscape. — Neil Nakahodo, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for poised

Recent Examples of Synonyms for poised

Adjective

But that concern has been addressed here thanks to the aforementioned brake upgrades, which deliver confident stopping power at speed as well as excellent pedal feel.

— Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
Jim is confident Kimberly-Clark can unlock value from the Tylenol maker, which was spun off from healthcare giant and Club name Johnson & Johnson in 2023 and struggled to find its footing as a standalone entity.

— Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of confident

Adjective

The drones then find the best hovering altitude before each lining up to spray the fire, one after the other.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 20 July 2026
He-Man was now a jolly, quip-ready hero, whose best friends were scaredy-cat Cringer (a green-and-yellow tiger who transformed into Battle Cat), and an annoying, hovering magician called Orko.

— Richard Edwards, Space.com, 1 June 2026

Definition of hovering

Verb

Republicans have braced for months for Democrats to retake the House.

— Theodoric Meyer, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026
Post-Tropical Cyclone Rachel was moving into Baja California as Southern California braced for rain and potential coastal flooding on Sunday.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of braced

Verb

However, the unheated pool in Staten Island instead felt bone-chilling in the early May temperatures, which hovered at a low 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
The cost of Brent crude, the international standard, has hovered around $99 on Wednesday.

— Frank Andrews, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of hovered

Adjective

The British singer, 27, composed and co-wrote the lyrics with Bastian Langebæk and Max Wolfgang, according to the song credits on Spotify.

— Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
The Emma style, a more composed and sensible block-heel pump, is for Elinor (Edgar-Jones).

— Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of composed

Adjective

The set of three miniature lights each features a vintage hanging-lantern design that looks straight out of a storybook and casts a warm gold glow across your collection.

— Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Sep. 2026
Opt for bigger hanging bulbs, discrete flickers, or even hanging sheaths.

— Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026

Definition of hanging

Verb

Japan considers China's rapidly growing military activities in and around Japan, including in the Pacific Ocean, as a threat and has fortified its southwestern region with longer-range missiles and interceptors in recent years.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
The group also fortified their compound and trained with guns in case the FBI or other law enforcement visited the property, according to the decision.

— Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of fortified

Verb

Needing 11 yards on fourth down to continue their drive and cut into a 23-7 Packers lead, Prescott narrowly avoided a sack before lofting a pass that sailed out the back of the end zone, not close to any particular Cowboys receiver.

— Andrew Greif, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026
Yet Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare – senior Tory politician, former athlete, bestselling novelist and bon viveur – simply sailed on.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of sailed

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poise

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Style

“Poised.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poised. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of poised

adjective

verb

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