POISED Synonyms: 178 Similar and Opposite Words

poised 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of poised

as in confident

Related Words

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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

So my oldest, Richard, is super poised and has always sort of been the rock for our family. — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 26 Mar. 2026 Jones has played so well and has looked so poised, and the team has done such a solid job with him at the controls that there has been talk lately about a possible quarterback controversy brewing in the Bay Area. — Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025

Verb

As Kim pointed out, big companies are well-poised to adopt stablecoins, but that might not be the case for the smaller vendors that serve them. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 Religious law as a rival legal system One common target is sharia, which critics often describe as a competing legal system poised to displace American law. — Asma Uddin, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for poised

Recent Examples of Synonyms for poised

Adjective

As for his teammates, players like senior tight end Ka’Morreun Pimpton also remain confident in what Craig can do this season.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2026
The club were aware of interest from other Premier League parties but were confident of being able to complete the signing.

— Tim Spiers, New York Times, 3 Sep. 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

Gus Mundt, a fourth-generation Montana rancher and dad to a 3-year-old girl, braced at the thought of selling his heifers at lower prices.

— Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
As heavy rain and storms moved through the area Thursday, homeowners braced for impact once again.

— Ali Bauman, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of braced

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poise

poised

poises

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Style

“Poised.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poised. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of poised

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

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