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Meaning & use

striking a pose

phrase·Everyday

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UK/ˌstraɪkɪŋ ə ˈpəʊz/
US/ˌstraɪkɪŋ ə ˈpoʊz/

Meanings

  1. phraseidiom

    Holding your body in a particular position, especially to be photographed or to attract attention.

    Grammar: Used as an intransitive phrase: she was striking a pose. The base form is strike a pose.

    Patterns

    • strike a pose for someone
    • strike a pose in front of something

    The model was striking a pose for the photographer when the rain started.

    At the party, he kept striking a pose every time someone raised a phone.

  2. phraseidiomdisapproving

    Behaving in a way that seems intended to impress or deceive others, rather than being genuine.

    Grammar: Often used critically: he's just striking a pose. It suggests the behavior is not sincere.

    Patterns

    • be just striking a pose
    • strike a pose of something

    The politician was striking a pose of concern, but few believed him.

    She accused the company of striking a pose rather than making real changes.

Word forms

base formstrike a pose
past tensestruck a pose
past participlestruck a pose
third person singularstrikes a pose

Common combinations

strike a pose for the camera
The children struck a pose for the camera on the first day of school.
strike a dramatic pose
He struck a dramatic pose at the top of the stairs.
strike a pose in front of
Tourists were striking a pose in front of the famous statue.
just striking a pose
Don't worry about his angry face; he's just striking a pose.

Synonyms and how they differ

posing
Posing is the more general word for holding a position for a photo or effect; striking a pose is more vivid and often suggests a deliberate, showy action.
posturing
Posturing means behaving in a way that is intended to impress or deceive; it is more negative and is used mainly for people's attitudes, not for photos.

Word family

pose noun
A particular position of the body, especially for a photo or in yoga.
pose verb
To hold your body in a particular position, or to pretend to be something.
poser noun
A person who poses, or a difficult question.

Commonly confused: striking a pose or strike a pose?

striking a pose vs strike a pose

This is the base form. Use 'strike a pose' for a single action and 'striking a pose' when you need the -ing form, e.g. after 'was' or 'kept'.

Practice

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