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.
Rather than annexing the island, the United States appears poised to secure many of its strategic objectives without changing any borders.
From Salon ● Oct. 13, 2026
Shopify rises after Deutsche Banks says the company is poised to win big from agentic commerce in the long run.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is poised for a big prime-time performance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
The Federal Trade Commission seems poised to join the backlash against personalized pricing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
Jonah paused with his fingers poised over the digital keypad.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
