posture

[ pos-cher ]

noun

1. the relative disposition of the parts of something.
2. the position of the limbs or the carriage of the body as a whole:

   poor posture; a sitting posture.

3. an affected or unnatural attitude:

   He struck a comic posture.

4. a mental or spiritual attitude:

   His ideas reveal a defensive posture.

5. one's image or policy as perceived by the public, other nations, etc.:

   The company wants to develop a more aggressive marketing posture.

6. position, condition, or state, as of affairs.

verb (used with object)

, pos·tured, pos·tur·ing.

1. to place in a particular posture or attitude.
2. to position, especially strategically:

   to posture troops along a border.

3. to develop a policy or stance for (oneself, a company, government, etc.):

   The White House postured itself for dealing with the fuel crisis.

4. to adopt an attitude or take an official position on (a matter):

   The company postured that the court's ruling could be interpreted as being in its favor.

verb (used without object)

, pos·tured, pos·tur·ing.

1. to assume a particular posture.
2. to assume affected or unnatural postures, as by bending or contorting the body.
3. to act in an affected or artificial manner, as to create a certain impression.

posture

/ ˈpɒstʃə /

noun

1. a position or attitude of the limbs or body
2. a characteristic manner of bearing the body; carriage

   to have good posture

3. the disposition of the parts of a visible object
4. a mental attitude or frame of mind
5. a state, situation, or condition
6. a false or affected attitude; pose

verb

1. to assume or cause to assume a bodily position or attitude
2. intr to assume an affected or unnatural bodily or mental posture; pose

Derived Forms

• ˈpostural, adjective
• ˈposturer, noun

Other Words From

• pos·tur·al adjective
• pos·tur·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of posture¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from French, from Italian postura, from Latin positūra. See posit, -ure

Word History and Origins

Origin of posture¹

C17: via French from Italian postura, from Latin positūra, from pōnere to place

Synonym Study

See position.

Example Sentences

He “did not adopt a reflexive posture to protect himself and ... he may have fallen in a state of semi- or total unconsciousness,” officials said last month.

From Los Angeles Times

“So we go into a more defensive posture, and the number one priority in that is human life.”

From Los Angeles Times

The department’s relatively tolerant posture toward undocumented people dates back to 1979, when then-Chief Daryl F. Gates responded to a wave of illegal immigration by trying to keep lines of communication open between officers and the communities they police.

From Los Angeles Times

He “did not adopt a reflexive posture to protect himself and ... he may have fallen in a state of semi- or total unconsciousness,” officials said last month.

From Los Angeles Times

They retreated into a defensive posture about the issue and then capitulated to the right by signing on to a highly restrictive border security bill early in 2024 that Trump and his allies nevertheless cynically torpedoed.

From Slate