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
- unpoised adjective
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.
The company is poised to lose about $5 billion in revenue a year after suffering damage at natural-gas facilities in Qatar.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
Sophie Ingle is poised to win Wales cap number 150 when Rhian Wilkinson's team take on Albania in a Women's World Cup qualifier in Elbasan on Saturday.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Okta, which manages digital identities, is poised for a significant market increase by securing non-human AI identities.
From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026
Rising U.S. oil exports are poised to keep gasoline prices increasing, with U.S. crude climbing 2.6% to $99.08 a barrel.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
Amaya lowered a metal paperweight she’d had poised to hurl.
From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older
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.
