posture

[pos-cher]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR posture 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.

Origin of posture

1595–1605; < French < Italian postura < Latin positūra. See posit, -ure

Related formspos·tur·al, adjectivepos·tur·er, noun

Synonyms for posture

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR posture ON THESAURUS.COM

2. See position.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for posturing

Contemporary Examples of posturing

There was no acting, no posturing, as Ben delivered the news.
Ben Bradlee Was the Last of the Newspaper Giants
Tom Shales
October 22, 2014
But Sciortino cut her teeth in that world of excess irony, cynicism, and posturing.
Is This Dildo-Licking, Dominatrix-Loving Vogue Blogger the New Face of Feminism?
Lizzie Crocker
May 22, 2014
So when Democrats decry money in politics are they really being serious, or are they just posturing?
The Democrats’ Free-Speech Hypocrisy
Lloyd Green
May 19, 2014
Instead, this is all about election year posturing for both sides.
Groundhog Day With Minimum Wage On Capitol Hill
Ben Jacobs
April 30, 2014
In short, Jake Bugg should be a rather irritating character—a posturing rock brat, perhaps.
Jake Bugg Isn’t the New Bob Dylan. He’s the Male Adele.
Andrew Romano
November 19, 2013

Historical Examples of posturing

There was an extraordinary force of suggestion in this posturing.
The Secret Agent
Joseph Conrad
Remember that while you're posturing in your little hour of glory on Athena and Earth.
Space Prison
Tom Godwin
She began at once calling and posturing, clearly for our benefit.
Little Brothers of the Air
Olive Thorne Miller
What a statue gallery of posturing friends we all have in our memory!
The Poet at the Breakfast Table
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
Music (it is called by that name) and posturing fill up the intervals.
Due West
Maturin Murray Ballou

British Dictionary definitions for posturing

posture

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 Formspostural, 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

Word Origin and History for posturing

posture

c.1600, from French posture (16c.), from Italian postura "position, posture," from Latin positura "position, station," from postulus, past participle of ponere "put, place" (see position (n.)).

posture

1620s, literal, from posture (n.). The figurative sense of "take up an artificial mental position" is attested from 1877. Related: Postured; posturing.

posturing in Medicine

posture

[pŏs′chər]

n.

A position of the body or of body parts.

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

posture

noun

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

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

Origin of posture

Synonyms for posture

Related Words for posturing

Examples from the Web for posturing

Contemporary Examples of posturing

Historical Examples of posturing

posture

noun

verb

Word Origin for posture

posture

posture

posture

n.