poised
Americanadjective
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(of a person) composed, dignified, and self-assured.
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being in balance or equilibrium.
a ball poised on the nose of a seal.
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teetering or wavering.
to be poised on the brink of disaster.
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hovering or suspended in or as in midair.
a bird poised in flight; a helicopter poised overhead.
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readied or prepared to do something or for something to happen.
a singer poised to make sales history with a new album.
adjective
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self-possessed; dignified; exhibiting composure
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balanced and prepared for action
a skier poised at the top of the slope
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of poised
Explanation
If you're poised you're self-possessed and in full control of your faculties. You're balanced, grounded, and ready for action. A poised person exhibits composure and self-assuredness, which comes in handy, for instance, during a job interview, giving a public talk or debate, or playing sports. Watching the Olympics, you may wonder how gymnasts remain so poised when competing on the balance beam, considered the sport's most mentally and physically challenging event. Poised also means ready or on the verge: You can be poised for a leadership position, poised for battle, or poised to become music's next pop star.
Vocabulary lists containing poised
The Giver
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"Of Mice and Men"
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"A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury
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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.
But Nvidia’s venture into finance appears poised to become much deeper.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
The borrowing blitz looks poised to continue over the next few years.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
The theater also is poised to strengthen the neighborhood’s identity as a Black cultural arts district by attracting top-tier talent, hosting major events and creating opportunities for emerging local artists.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
"With the dangerous injunction poised to take effect for the first time on August 21, its stop-work mandate is even more flagrantly inequitable, if not impossible," he wrote.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
He is an old man in this vision, bow poised on string, smiling at me with wrinkles rimming his eyes.
From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper
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.
