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Synonyms

poised

American  
[poizd] / pɔɪzd /

adjective

  1. (of a person) composed, dignified, and self-assured.

  2. being in balance or equilibrium.

    a ball poised on the nose of a seal.

  3. teetering or wavering.

    to be poised on the brink of disaster.

  4. hovering or suspended in or as in midair.

    a bird poised in flight; a helicopter poised overhead.

  5. readied or prepared to do something or for something to happen.

    a singer poised to make sales history with a new album.
poised British  
/ pɔɪzd /

adjective

  1. self-possessed; dignified; exhibiting composure

  2. balanced and prepared for action

    a skier poised at the top of the slope
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unpoised adjective

Etymology

Origin of poised

First recorded in 1635–45; poise 1 + -ed 2, -ed 3

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Seeded behind only Detroit, Boston appears poised for a deep playoff run—a prospect that gets even more intriguing at the prospect of Tatum’s return.

From The Wall Street Journal

Slot has suggested Florian Wirtz is poised to miss the back-to-back games against Wolves this week because of the back injury he sustained in the warm-up against Nottingham Forest last weekend.

From BBC

So far, oil prices appear poised for a big move when the market reopens Sunday evening in New York.

From MarketWatch

So far, oil prices appear poised for a big move when the market reopens Sunday evening in New York.

From MarketWatch

Nvidia plans to unveil a new processor specially tailored to help OpenAI and other customers build faster, more efficient tools, a major shake-up to its business that is poised to reset the AI race.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.