Showing results for "posturing"

• present participle of posture.

posturing

American  

[pos-cher-ing] / ˈpɒs tʃər ɪŋ /

noun

1. speech or action that is artificial, hypocritical, or calculated to mislead.

   I'm fed up with the reaching-across-the-aisle posturing intended to make politicians seem like they’re working hard for bipartisan reform.

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adjective

1. engaging in or characterized by such speech or behavior.

   He cynically believes that anybody trying to live up to an ideal is either a posturing liar or a simple-minded fool.

Etymology

Origin of posturing

First recorded in 1620–30; postur(e) ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun; postur(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

posturing

How many pre-fight interviews now involved personal insults, aggressive posturing, the desire to settle a score—how many post-fight speeches involved aggressive call-outs, rather than thank-yous to their coaches or families or God.

From Slate ● Jun. 14, 2026

After last week’s debate, there was lots of social media posturing about who won and who trolled whom the best.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 28, 2026

In a “risk-on” market, investors rush to buy up stocks that had been especially beaten down during prior bouts of defensive posturing, noted Cantor Fitzgerald’s C.J.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 8, 2026

United felt the German giants were posturing and would let Sancho leave regardless.

From BBC ● Mar. 15, 2026

“Nevertheless,” I whispered crossly—but I couldn’t go on, too conscious all at once of my whispering, my eternal posturing, always transforming the world with words—changing nothing.

From "Grendel" by John Gardner

Related Words

• charade
• cloak
• pretext
• semblance
• veneer