stage left

American  

noun

Theater.

1. the part of the stage that is left of center as one faces the audience.

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stage left British  

noun

1. the part of the stage to the left of a performer facing the audience

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Etymology

Origin of stage left

First recorded in 1930–35

Compare meaning

How does stage-left compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• stage right vs. stage left

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stage left

“These will be big shoes to fill and the timing of Cook exiting stage left as CEO could make sense but also creates questions.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026

The one negative to the performance I caught is that his work on the Hammond B3 was completely inaudible in the mix from your critic’s location, stage left and halfway up the seating bowl.

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2025

McIlroy, initially a vocal critic of the new circuit, called for the two-time Open Champion to "exit stage left" in 2022 and let the "adults" heal the wounds in the sport.

From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2025

The execution on stage left me in awe, willing to believe pretty much anything.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2024

It was like two invisible puppeteers, standing stage left and stage right, were yanking on strings to lift up the corners of her mouth.

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon