posing

¹

[ poh-zing ]

noun

1. the act or practice of assuming a particular attitude or stance, especially with the hope of impressing others:

   The new website aims to strip away the pretentious posing of wine connoisseurs, inviting users to “tell us what tastes good to you!”

2. the act or practice of falsely representing oneself:

   Under all his posing as an honest reporter, his real purpose is to defend a barbarous regime.

3. the act of assuming or holding a particular physical position, or of placing someone else in such a position, as for a portrait or photograph:

   She liked to paint women and children, and the natural posing of her subjects is still unsurpassed.

4. the act of putting forward, stating, or suggesting something, as a question, hypothesis, matter for consideration, etc.:

   Classroom strategies like cooperative learning and the posing of open-ended questions can encourage thinking and discussion.

adjective

1. falsely representing oneself, or assuming a particular attitude or stance in the hope of impressing others:

   I don’t fit in—everyone else in that place is a filmmaker, an "edgy" magazine journalist, or a posing hipster.

2. assuming a particular physical position, as for a portrait or photograph:

   I love how real and natural these images are—no posing tourists, just scenic beauty on its own.

posing

²

[ poh-zing ]

adjective

1. baffling, perplexing, or vexing; difficult:

   The command to “love your neighbor as you love yourself” has within it the most posing challenge for you and me—learning to love ourselves.

Other Words From

• pos·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of posing¹

First recorded in 1850–55; pos(e) ¹( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun senses; pos(e) ¹( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective senses

Origin of posing²

pos(e) ²( def ) + -ing ²( def )

Example Sentences

The “Strut” show includes photographs showing close-ups of the nude male body, as well as two video monitors showing two models posing on West’s sculptures.

From Los Angeles Times

This has led to millions of tonnes entering the world's oceans and seas, posing serious risks to wildlife and their environment.

From BBC

The “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actress took to Instagram to advertise her wellness brand’s Black Friday sale, posing in front of her showering husband to peddle discounted candles, body creams, and linen sprays.

From Salon

The hit film, based on the hit Broadway musical of the same name, promotes themes of female empowerment and resistance against a grifting, impotent entertainer posing as an all-powerful being.

From Los Angeles Times

Since then, she has been staying in India, posing a challenge to diplomacy between the countries.

From BBC

Related Words

• charade
• cloak
• pretext
• semblance
• veneer