posture

[ pos-cher ]

/ ˈpɒs tʃər /

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See synonyms for: posture / postured / posturing on Thesaurus.com

noun

the relative disposition of the parts of something.

the position of the limbs or the carriage of the body as a whole: poor posture; a sitting posture.

an affected or unnatural attitude:He struck a comic posture.

a mental or spiritual attitude: His ideas reveal a defensive posture.

one's image or policy as perceived by the public, other nations, etc.: The company wants to develop a more aggressive marketing posture.

position, condition, or state, as of affairs.

verb (used with object), pos·tured, pos·tur·ing.

to place in a particular posture or attitude.

to position, especially strategically: to posture troops along a border.

to develop a policy or stance for (oneself, a company, government, etc.): The White House postured itself for dealing with the fuel crisis.

to adopt an attitude or take an official position on (a matter): The company postured that the court's ruling could be interpreted as being in its favor.

verb (used without object), pos·tured, pos·tur·ing.

to assume a particular posture.

to assume affected or unnatural postures, as by bending or contorting the body.

to act in an affected or artificial manner, as to create a certain impression.

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Origin of posture

First recorded in 1595–1605; from French, from Italian postura, from Latin positūra.See posit, -ure

synonym study for posture

2. See position.

Words nearby posture

postural hypotension, postural position, postural proteinuria, postural syncope, postural vertigo, posture, posture sense, posturing, posturize, postvaccinal encephalitis, postvalvar

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use posture in a sentence

It’s nice that I can customize the fit to help my posture as much as possible—without breaking the bank.
The best things I bought in September to make working and living at home easier|Rachel Schallom|September 27, 2020|Fortune
She argued that it was most valuable instead to approach art by imagining a zone “staked out for a variety of ideas and postures to flex and interact.”
Why art matters at the end of the world|Constance Grady|September 25, 2020|Vox
MTS is also pursuing an outside, third-party review of the agency’s policies and practices that could reshape its enforcement posture.
MTS Police Chief Departs as Agency Pulls Back Enforcement Push|Lisa Halverstadt|July 27, 2020|Voice of San Diego
“We want to give away everything we’ve learned, just give it away so other universities can improve their posture with respect to leader development,” he says.
At this university, any student can sign up to get professional leadership coaching—for free|Geoffrey Colvin|July 8, 2020|Fortune

So they were in this posture, which we’ve come to call hide-and-bide.
Will Covid-19 Spark a Cold War (or Worse) With China? (Ep. 414)|Stephen J. Dubner|April 23, 2020|Freakonomics
He throws every fiber of his being into each performance, altering his posture, elocution, temperament, and more.
Oscars 2015: The Daily Beast’s Picks, From Scarlett Johansson to ‘Boyhood’|Marlow Stern|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Some immediately treated the young rapper as a punchline, turning his awkward posture in the photo into a meme.
Bobby Shmurda and Rap’s Ultimate Hoop Dream|Rawiya Kameir|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After the last magnet was retrieved, she assumed slave posture and waited for Couple to unclasp the clamps.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau|Ian Frisch|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She reassumed slave posture while Couple grabbed two magnetized clamps and a collection of circular magnets from a nearby shelf.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau|Ian Frisch|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After tightening her collar, Stella assumed slave posture: on her knees, legs slightly spread, palm resting face-up on her thighs.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau|Ian Frisch|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Sympathising with its desires, Benjy changed his posture, and managed just to touch the nose of his enemy.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
He was told that a son must not play in his father's presence, nor assume free or easy posture before him.
Our Little Korean Cousin|H. Lee M. Pike
The animal maintains a fairly upright posture, but walks with a waddling motion, its body rocking from side to side.
Man And His Ancestor|Charles Morris
None of the other anthropoid apes ever walk erect, though they assume at times the upright posture.
Man And His Ancestor|Charles Morris
Their attitude is in all cases an approach toward the erect one, which posture is attained by the gibbon.
Man And His Ancestor|Charles Morris

British Dictionary definitions for posture

posture

/ (ˈpɒstʃə) /

noun

a position or attitude of the limbs or body

a characteristic manner of bearing the body; carriageto have good posture

the disposition of the parts of a visible object

a mental attitude or frame of mind

a state, situation, or condition

a false or affected attitude; pose

verb

to assume or cause to assume a bodily position or attitude

(intr) to assume an affected or unnatural bodily or mental posture; pose

Derived forms of posture

postural, adjectiveposturer, noun

Word Origin for posture

C17: via French from Italian postura, from Latin positūra, from pōnere to place

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

Medical definitions for posture

posture

[ pŏs′chər ]

A position of the body or of body parts.

A characteristic or prescribed way of bearing one's body; carriage.

posture

Origin of posture

synonym study for posture

OTHER WORDS FROM posture

Words nearby posture

Words related to posture

How to use posture in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for posture

Derived forms of posture

Word Origin for posture

Medical definitions for posture