# poses

/ˈpoʊzəz/ (US) · /pˈəʊzɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/poses
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to present a problem

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

to create a problem, danger, or difficulty that people have to deal with.

For teachers: to present or constitute a problem, challenge, or danger. Transitive — requires a direct object representing the difficulty.

- The heavy rain poses a serious risk of flooding for the houses near the river.
- The rapid integration of artificial intelligence into the workplace poses significant ethical questions regarding data privacy and job security.

Usage: Commonly used with abstract nouns like 'threat', 'risk', 'challenge', or 'question'.

### 2. to sit for a photo

verb · CEFR B1

to stay in a particular position so that someone can take a photo or paint you.

For teachers: to assume a particular physical stance or attitude, typically for a portrait, photograph, or artistic study.

- The winning team poses for a group photo after every match.
- The model poses for the sculptor twice a week, maintaining a difficult standing position for several hours at a time.

## Examples

- The photographer asked the model to try several different poses.
- During the yoga class, the instructor helped the students adjust their poses to avoid any back strain.
- The sculptor spent hours sketching various poses to capture the most natural distribution of weight before beginning the final marble carving.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.