poise 1 of 2

1
2
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

2 of 2

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
Sanders’s best attributes are his poise and coolness in late-game pressure situations. Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 17 Feb. 2025 One Oiler almost went with the two superstars but wanted Mattias Ekholm’s poise and vision. Daniel Nugent-Bowman, The Athletic, 17 Feb. 2025
Verb
The film is poised to be an Academy Awards contender at the 2025 ceremony, according to Variety. Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2025 If the injury forces Gil to miss the start of the regular season, veteran Marcus Stroman is poised to begin the campaign as the Yankees' No. 5 starter. Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for poise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poise
Noun
  • Last year’s struggles over speech—among protesters and counter-protesters, scholars and administrators—seemed to show a system falling out of equilibrium.
    Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Related article What this holiday of sacrifice teaches us about mindfulness Find equilibrium during Ramadan Fasting for Ramadan can be a dance between managing one’s physical health and water intake, and also fulfilling personal religious goals.
    Monica Haider, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Republican lawmakers and national security experts have all called for a greater offensive posture.
    David Klepper, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2025
  • The county must take an aggressive posture to clean up homeless encampments.
    John McCann, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • However, some have highlighted early warning signs, like the decline in discretionary spending in the Bureau of Economic Analysis' most recent consumer spending report, suggesting that Americans are bracing for potential economic challenges.
    Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Playback footage also shows both Hudson and Common bracing for the incoming impact of the ball.
    Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The price of bitcoin was last hovering flat at $88,949.16, according to Coin Metrics.
    Tanaya Macheel, CNBC, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Preferring to take her chances solo, in the outside world, rather than go with Helena Eagan (Britt Lower) to meet with the board, Harmony’s whereabouts — and loyalties — have been a major question mark hovering over Season 2’s steadily escalating events.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Christian Walker aggravating his left oblique Wednesday afternoon opened myriad possibilities for general manager Dana Brown and manager Joe Espada, two men who’ve taken clear stances on promoting prospects.
    Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Moreover, the policy maintains a cost-neutral stance for any potential future Bitcoin acquisitions, ensuring the government does not expand its balance sheet purely for speculative purposes.
    Christian Catalini, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Its design aligns with the relentless pace of business leadership, preserving revenue while fortifying resilience. 2.
    Jaime Catmull, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
  • This winter has fortified Liam’s allegiance to the Terps (21-6, 10-5 Big Ten).
    Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Raine seems cold and by-the-book early on, but as she’s personally pulled into the case at hand, her complexities float to the surface.
    Sezin Koehler, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Large Arabic numerals seem to float between the sapphire crystal and the movement, standing out with white Super-LumiNova for added visibility.
    Matthew Catellier, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The volatility the markets just experienced oftentimes marks a turn in investor attitudes.
    Robert Barone, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Such attitudes disregard the hard realities of life in the United States for certain Americans.
    K. Ward Cummings, Baltimore Sun, 2 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Poise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poise. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on poise

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!