poise

noun
UK: /pɔɪz/
US: /pɔɪz/

  1. A calm and confident manner.

    1. She showed great poise under pressure.
    2. The speaker maintained her poise, despite the heckling, and continued her speech.

  2. Balance; equilibrium.

    1. The acrobat lost his poise.
    2. The dancer's perfect poise made her movements appear effortless and graceful.

Synonyms

composure equanimity self-assurance balance stability ready
poise intransitive-verb

  1. To be in a state of balance or readiness.

    1. The cat poised to jump.
    2. The company is poised to launch its new product next month after a successful beta test.

  2. To hold (oneself) in a particular way.

    1. She poised her head to listen.
    2. He poised himself carefully before beginning the difficult gymnastic routine showing confidence.
poise transitive-verb

  1. To hold something in a balanced and steady way.

    1. She poised the cup.
    2. He poised the microphone, adjusting it slightly before beginning to speak to the large crowd.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "poise" in English means: A calm and confident manner., Balance; equilibrium..

The phonetic transcription of "poise" is /pɔɪz/ in British English and /pɔɪz/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "poise": composure, equanimity, self-assurance, balance, stability, ready.

Example usage of "poise": "She showed great poise under pressure.". More examples on the page.