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as in posture
a general way of holding the body the woman's poise suggested that she was accustomed to having her wishes carried out promptly and without question

Synonyms & Similar Words

poise

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word poise different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of poise are address, savoir faire, and tact. While all these words mean "skill and grace in dealing with others," poise may imply both tact and address but stresses self-possession and ease in meeting difficult situations.

answered the accusations with unruffled poise

When would address be a good substitute for poise?

The words address and poise can be used in similar contexts, but address stresses dexterity and grace in dealing with new and trying situations and may imply success in attaining one's ends.

brought it off with remarkable address

When can savoir faire be used instead of poise?

The words savoir faire and poise are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, savoir faire is likely to stress worldly experience and a sure awareness of what is proper or expedient.

the savoir faire of a seasoned traveler

Where would tact be a reasonable alternative to poise?

The meanings of tact and poise largely overlap; however, tact implies delicate and considerate perception of what is appropriate.

questions showing a lack of tact

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of poise
Noun
His poise and athleticism carried Washington all season and keyed its 23-20 win at Tampa Bay last weekend in the wild-card round. Joe Guillen, Axios, 17 Jan. 2025 Interim coach Anders Sorensen liked Del Mastro’s exit plays and poise handling the puck. Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 29 Jan. 2025
Verb
The family that owns French fashion powerhouse Hermès International is poised to pocket more than $5 billion in dividends, thanks to four consecutive years of record-breaking profits, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Feb. 2025 As a result, strategic bombing—whether effective or not—is poised to become increasingly common. Raphael S. Cohen, Foreign Affairs, 18 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for poise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poise
Noun
  • The calming formula is infused with an antioxidant-rich blend of mugwort, green tea, and panthenol to bring your skin back to a comfortable, irritation-free equilibrium.
    Devon Abelman, Allure, 11 Feb. 2025
  • After a certain period of time in deep water, the inert gases breathed in by a diver, or in this case, a sentinel resident, dissolve into body tissues and eventually reach an equilibrium with the pressure in their particular depth.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 5 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Pain in his back and neck and trouble with posture can be traced to years of drumming, Nic said, revealing his father had undergone a major neck surgery.
    KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2025
  • Each reactive and proactive data point gets reflected in the customer’s overall security posture rating and informs what the MDR provider recommends next.
    Manoj Srivastava, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Meet the Champion Who Memorized 80 Numbers in 13.5 Seconds Civilians, too, are bracing for the fight.
    Olha Konovalova, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Behind the scenes in Washington, officials are bracing for the summit to come together at the same breakneck speed at which the dynamic between Russia and the U.S. had changed over the course of the last several days.
    Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 19 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Photo : Trevor Melton Slatted ceilings hover above the study.
    Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 24 Feb. 2025
  • These are hovering electric boat planes — known as electric hydrofoil craft — that will be able to dash over the water from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in just half an hour, with services expected from 2027.
    Nicole Kobie, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Gottfried agrees and hopes that more healthcare providers across the country will summon the courage to take a stance, just as Carpenter did.
    Alaa Elassar, CNN, 23 Feb. 2025
  • The position of the company founded by Schwarz is aimed at American consumers taking a stance against corporate greed.
    Shelley E. Kohan, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Teams can fortify position groups in multiple ways, but the Vikings are going to have to lean heavily on their salary cap space this offseason.
    Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Angel City, which is based in Los Angeles, is seeking to fortify its revenue streams, with sponsorships an important component of its long-term financial health.
    Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 19 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • There's already a shooting revealed in the Season 3 premiere, with at least one body floating in the water.
    Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2025
  • Zion’s still pondering his next move when a body floats by him in the hotel moat.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Instead of repeating his laissez-faire attitude toward his own administration, the Republican president is asserting control at every opportunity, backed up by loyalists at all levels of government.
    Chris Megerian, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025
  • The interview, which focused on attitudes toward Israel, sparked controversy, and even Shari Redstone, the controlling shareholder of Paramount Global, rebuked CBS News executives for slamming the correspondent.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 19 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Poise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poise. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

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