Word
poser
Phoneticspos·er, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpoʊzɝ/
UK/pˈəʊzɐ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. someone who pretends to be something cool to impress other people, but does not really live that way. You use it for a person who copies the clothes or talk without the real interest behind it.
n. a person who adopts a pose, style, or identity to impress others without genuine commitment or knowledge. Often used as a term of contempt within youth subcultures to mark inauthentic membership.
Examples
“He acts like a skater but he is a poser.”
“She calls him a poser because he wears the band shirt but knows none of the songs.”
“The novel portrays him not as a rebel but as a poser who borrows the language of protest without understanding its cost.”
Examples
simple
“He acts like a skater but he is a poser.”
contextual
“She calls him a poser because he wears the band shirt but knows none of the songs.”
complex
“The novel portrays him not as a rebel but as a poser who borrows the language of protest without understanding its cost.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “poser” in context.
Verb
01. call out poser
“She called him out as a poser for wearing the uniform.”
verb + prep + noun
02. expose poser
“His friends exposed him as a poser when he couldn't play.”
verb + noun
03. poser copies
“A poser copies the style without understanding the culture.”
noun + verb
04. poser pretends
“That poser pretends to love punk but can't name one song.”
noun + verb
Adjective
05. complete poser
“He's a complete poser who bought a guitar just for photos.”
adj + noun
06. obvious poser
“With his brand-new boots, he looked like an obvious poser.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. bunch of posers
“A bunch of posers showed up just to take selfies.”
noun + prep + noun
08. poser label
“He hates the poser label and tries to prove he's real.”
noun + noun
09. dismiss as a poser
“The band dismissed him as a poser and asked him to leave.”
10. expose as a poser
“One question about surfing exposed him as a poser.”
11. just a total poser
“She's just a total poser who copies everyone else.”
12. nothing but a poser
“Don't listen to him; he's nothing but a poser.”
Etymology
From pose + -er.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/poser