pose 1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈpōz How to pronounce pose (audio)
Definition of posenext
as in to suggest
to set before the mind for consideration posed an interesting question for the visiting astronomer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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pose

2 of 3

verb (2)

as in to puzzle
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty utterly posed by the barrage of questions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pose

3 of 3

noun

as in show
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive my cheerfulness was just a pose, for I was feeling miserable

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun pose contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pose are affectation, airs, air, and mannerism. While all these words mean "an adopted way of speaking or behaving," pose implies an attitude deliberately assumed in order to impress others.

her shyness was just a pose

When might affectation be a better fit than pose?

Although the words affectation and pose have much in common, affectation applies to a trick of speech or behavior that strikes the observer as insincere.

the posh accent is an affectation

When could air be used to replace pose?

The words air and pose can be used in similar contexts, but air may suggest natural acquirement through environment or way of life.

a traveler's sophisticated air

In what contexts can airs take the place of pose?

In some situations, the words airs and pose are roughly equivalent. However, airs always implies artificiality and pretentiousness.

snobbish airs

Where would mannerism be a reasonable alternative to pose?

While in some cases nearly identical to pose, mannerism applies to an acquired eccentricity that has become a habit.

gesturing with a cigarette was her most noticeable mannerism

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 pose
Verb
Decades earlier, Loftus had demonstrated that people’s memories of visual details could be manipulated by posing questions that contained misinformation. —Bernice Andrews, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2025 The distinctive risks posed by TikTok are mostly unrelated to its share structure. —Gregory H. Shill, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
In the photographs shot by Steven Klein, Kardashian is seen in various poses next to the Tesla robot, who’s apparently named Optimus, and lying on top of of the Tesla cybertruck. —Aamina Inayat Khan, StyleCaster, 17 Mar. 2025 The track cover shows a throwback photo of a relatively makeup-free Parton, grinning with her arms around Dean, who dons a white T-shirt and stoic pose. —Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pose
  1. show
  2. facade
  3. guise
  4. pretense
  5. act
Noun
  • The Oscar winner — who both wrote and stars in the stage adaptation of the 2005 movie Good Night, and Good Luck — celebrated the official Broadway opening of the show at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City on Thursday, April 3, without his wife.
    — Dave Quinn, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The White Lotus Season 3 finale is this weekend and one character will not make it out of the show alive.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of show
Noun
  • Once it's completed, the removable floors, roof and detachable facades reveal this Marvel tribute in all its glory, for all to admire.
    — Paul Brett, Space.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • But disaffected ex-employees said the company’s facade of liberation hid something cultish.
    — Devlin Barrett, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of facade
Noun
  • And in its current guise, the RS E-Tron GT Performance delivers.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 2 Apr. 2025
  • After almost a decade out of the game, cult smartwatch brand Pebble has returned with a duo of watches, and under a new brand guise, Core Devices.
    — Andrew Williams, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of guise
Noun
  • The Trump Administration has significantly weakened America's national security infrastructure under the false pretense of government efficiency, by reducing staffing at the Departments of Defense and State, FBI, CIA, USAID, and others despite increasing global threats.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 24 Mar. 2025
  • The Trump administration’s harrowing detention of Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil — and the broader repression of student activism on campuses across the country — is being sold to the public under the false pretense of ensuring Jewish safety.
    — Adam Jaffe, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of pretense
Noun
  • By the 1870s, the filibuster had become both a fixture of the political process and a noun — though it was initially applied to the person who gave the speeches, rather than the act of speaking itself, Merriam-Webster says.
    — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Dine on everything from pate en croute to Faroe Island salmon while taking in a performance from a wide-range of legendary performers: this spring alone sees acts from Glee’s Matthew Morrison to Jeff Goldblum.
    — Elise Taylor, Vogue, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of act

Phrases Containing pose

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ports
pose
pose (as)
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Cite this Entry

“Pose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pose. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of pose for Spanish Speakers

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