Poised Definition – Meaning and Usage in a Sentence

You’ve probably come across individuals with a great and calm demeanor. Perhaps you’d like to define this composed and casual look but lack the right word to do so; the word you’re looking for is poised. We let you know the poised definition, meaning, and usage in sentences.

The word poised comes from poise, which defines the state of a person being composed, dignified, or sure of oneself. A poised person is calm and reserved, waiting for something or someone quietly. You can use the words self-contained, balanced, perched, or fair as synonyms in sentences.

Words such as poised or any other new word add some taste to your sentences or writing. Unfortunately, many people misuse these words, messing up the context meaning. You’ve come to the right place if you’d like to use the term poised correctly in your writing; we will discuss the many meanings of the word and how to use it correctly.

What Is the Definition of Poised?

The most common definition of the word poised is being suspended in the air or “in a motion.” When something or someone is in a particular position or “suspense in motion on the air,” that person or object can be referred to as poised. 

A great example of something poised is a pinata when suspended in the air at a party. A bird gliding in the air is poised as well. Both scenarios show an aspect of hanging, whether naturally or artificially.

Here are some sentences with the word poised:

• Annie poised the pinata early enough and put up the balloons in readiness for the party.
• When the gazelle was walking in the desert, several vultures were poised in the sky, waiting for it to pass out.
• We all loved the poised flowers at the entrance of the wedding venue.

Does Poised Mean “To Hold or Support?”

Poised is also defined as holding or supporting an object pending its use. You’ve poised that particular item when you hold it in a raised position in readiness for something. You can have different intentions for supporting something, but the act of doing so remains “poised.”

Picture a javelin thrower; for instance, they will poise their weapon in a raised position, ready to throw it.

Here are some example sentences:

• We’d barely been in the wild for thirty minutes before we saw a group of young men with poised spears ready for an attack.
• Before Yugo poised and threw his spear, his instructor had shown him how to do it for the best results.

What Is the Meaning of Poised?

Another meaning of the word poised is “being in calm composure or self-confidence.” If you can remain still and undisturbed regardless of the situation, this word best describes your action state.

When someone defines you as poised, you’re in control or self-collected. Interestingly, you can easily know when someone is poised. Does the person control all their faculties and show a calm look? If so, the word will best describe such a person.

A great example of a balanced and poised person is a gymnast at the Olympics before beginning the competition. They are composed and with a lot of confidence that everything will go on smoothly.

Here are some sentences to explain the word better:

• The young girl was poised as she took the podium to defend her actions to the student board.
• When you go for an interview, it’s important to be poised not to make any mistakes that would cost you a job.

Does Poised Mean “A style of Carriage?”

The simple answer is yes! Poised also means to hold or carry something in a particular manner. But that’s not all. “Poised” is used to define the act of carrying something in a specific manner so that it’s balanced.

For instance, when a person balances a football on their nose, head, or shoulders, they have poised the ball. You must have seen such tricks among football players and freestylers.

Here are some example sentences:

• It’s not an awkward sight to see a lady with a water jug poised on her head in these parts.
• One significant thing about Thor is his legendary poised hammer, ready for war.

How to Use Poised in a Sentence

Use “poised” in sentences when referring to self-assurance, confidence, composure, calmness, serenity, or coolness. More so, the word applies in its different forms as an adjective, noun, and adverb.

As an Adjective

The word poised is an adjective. The term describes a noun next to it. Besides suspended, another word used as an adjective is poiseless, meaning ungraceful.

Here are some example sentences:

• The word on the ground is that the Dominican cartel is poised for a revenge attack after one of their drug mules was killed in Brooklyn.
• People have called Rebel Wilson poiseless, but that has not deterred her from getting the acting role.

As a Noun

The word poise is the noun version of the word poised. It describes a state or quality of balance or stability. The term also describes the condition of being suspended or hovering in motion. Poising is another noun form of this word.

Here are some example sentences:

• When you’re a Hollywood star, one thing you must practice doing is walking on the red carpet while poising.
• His poise suggested a young man well brought up, well-learned and well-traveled, but his actions were that of a scoundrel.

As an Adverb

There are no grammatically recognized adverbs for the word poised. You might have come across comments or texts with the words poisedly, poisngly, or poissedly, especially on social media. Note that these words might seem correct and understandable based on the context, but they are not recognized in the English language.

10 Examples of Poised in a Sentence

The following ten sentences will help you learn to use this word correctly. These sentences incorporate the word poised in its various meanings and versions. Use the sentences for practice, and make sure you create a few of your own using the word poised to test your comprehension.

1. Andrew was poised to begin his life as a college student despite the unfortunate situation he had left back home.
2. She stood there poised after hearing the front door open; suddenly, she saw a man’s silhouette pass near her stairs.
3. The second B2 bomber stood one hundred meters away, poised to start its practice flight once the first one had reached 2000 feet.
4. One African tribe that fascinates me is the Maasai, with their spears poised; they are ready to fight any animal in the wild.
5. His poise showed that he was confident and capable of the task at hand, something that the manager couldn’t say.
6. Leslie did not let anyone get to her by calling her stunts poiseless because she did it to save her younger brother.
7. The rest of the European countries should be poised for an offense if the Russian army invaded Poland.
8. Brian Griffin poised the weapon over his head, ready to fight the bear that had destroyed the backyard.
9. Ron Artest was once punished after scoring at the basketball game and pushing his opponent to the ground standing above him, poised to beat him up.
10. We all know that Simon Leviev, from this Netflix documentary, is a poised manipulator and a liar.

How Do You Spell Poised?

The word poised is spelled as /p.o.i.s.e.d/.

The word poised is not hard to spell because it has few characters and has no double letters.

How Do You Pronounce Poised?

The best way to pronounce the word poised is /poyzd/.

Spelling this word may be easy, but there are a couple of things to know if you want to get it right the first time. First, the word is not pronounced the way you see it. Additionally, the “e” in the word is silent and should not be pronounced.

How Many Syllables Are In Poised?

The word poised has only one syllable.

If you want to know how many syllables a word has, count the number of times your jaw drops when saying the word.

Synonyms Of The Word “Poised”

• egoistic
• secure
• collected
• unperturbed

Antonyms Of The Word “Poised”

• insecure
• aground
• sinking
• disequilibration

History & Etymology of Poised

The word poised comes from the word poise that traces its roots back to the 15th century. It originated from the Old French word pois, which meant “the state of being heavy.” 

The term was later referred to as “balance” as time moved on. Poised also comes from the Latin phrase pondus or pesum, meaning “weighted.” The Latin word was later used to describe “steadiness” or “equilibrium” in the 1640s; among the many meanings, we know today.

When Was Poised First Used?

The term poised was first used as an English word with its current definition in 1626.

Conclusion

Adding a word such as poised to your vocabulary will make your writing exciting and your speech attractive. Nevertheless, to use this word correctly, you must know the poised definition and the best way to embrace the word in your context. Don’t forget to familiarize yourself with the word most often to boost your confidence and understanding.