left field
noun
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left field
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left-field
left-fieldadjectiveregarded as being outside the mainstream; unconventional
left field
Americannoun
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Baseball.
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the area of the outfield to the left of center field, as viewed from home plate.
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the position of the player covering this area.
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Slang. a position or circumstance that is remote from an ordinary or general trend.
idioms
left-field
British
adjective
left field
More Idioms
Etymology
Origin of left field
An Americanism dating back to 1855–60
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He put together three hitless innings before San Francisco’s Rafael Devers hit a one-out single to left field.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
But overnight, he has seemingly forgotten how to hit the ball in the air—especially to left field, where righty-swinging home-run hitters tend to do the most damage.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
In the top of the sixth, he broke a 3-3 tie by sending a hanging slider from closer Jack Champlin over the fence in left field for a two-run home run.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
Hernández primarily played left field in his first season with the Dodgers, before taking over right-field duties in 2025.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026
Came out of left field and caught me right in the gut.
From "The Boy in the Black Suit" by Jason Reynolds
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
