adj Uncommon

poised

poyzd

Poised (adj) means Calm, self-possessed, and confident in manner. Example: “The spokesperson stayed poised despite the barrage of questions.”

adj

Calm, self-possessed, and confident in manner.

"The spokesperson stayed poised despite the barrage of questions."

Ready and about to do something.

"The company is poised to launch its product next month."

"Investors are poised to react the moment rates change."

Balanced or held steady in position.

"The waiter walked past, a full tray poised on one hand."

How to use poised

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither calm and composed, or on the verge of doing something.

Common pairings

poised to strike poised and ready remain poised

more poised comparative, most poised superlative

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The spokesperson stayed _____ despite the barrage of questions.

raised advised bruised promised baptised apprised despised surprised exercised disguised civilised televised

What does “poised” mean?

The word “poised” means calm, self-possessed, and confident in manner. In plain terms, either calm and composed, or on the verge of doing something.

How do you pronounce “poised”?

“Poised” is pronounced poyzd (/pɔɪzd/ in IPA).

How do you use “poised” in a sentence?

Here is “poised” used in a sentence: “The spokesperson stayed poised despite the barrage of questions.”

What part of speech is “poised”?

“Poised” is an adjective.

Is “poised” a common word?

“Poised” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “poised” have?

“Poised” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: calm, self-possessed, and confident in manner.