stage

American  

[stayj] / steɪdʒ /

noun

• stages
  plural

1. a single step or degree in a process; a particular phase, period, position, etc., in a process, development, or series.

2. a raised platform or floor, as for speakers, performers, etc.

3. Theater.

   1. the platform on which the actors perform in a theater.

   2. this platform with all the parts of the theater and all the apparatus back of the proscenium.

4. the stage, the theater, especially acting, as a profession.

   He plans to make the stage his career.

5. Movies. sound stage.

6. the scene of any action.

   Synonyms:

   locale, setting, spot

7. a stagecoach.

8. a place of rest on a journey; a regular stopping place of a stagecoach or the like, for the change of horses, mules, etc.

9. the distance between two places of rest on a journey; each of the portions of a journey.

10. a portion or period of a course of action, of life, etc..

    the adolescent stage of human development.

11. Entomology.

    1. any one of the major time periods in the development of an insect, as the embryonic, larval, pupal, and imaginal stages.

    2. Also called stadium. any one of the periods of larval growth between molts.

12. Economics, Sociology. a major phase of the economic or sociological life of human beings or society.

    the patriarchal stage.

13. Geology. a division of stratified rocks corresponding to a single geologic age.

14. the small platform of a microscope on which the object to be examined is placed.

15. Radio. an element in a complex mechanism, as a tube and its accessory structures in a multiple amplifier.

16. Rocketry. a section of a rocket containing a rocket engine or cluster of rocket engines, usually separable from other such sections when its propellant is exhausted.

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verb (used with object)

• stages,
  present (3rd person singular)
• staged,
  past participle,  past
• staging
  present participle

1. to represent, produce, or exhibit on or as if on a stage.

   The drama class staged a play during Christmas vacation.

2. to furnish with a stage, staging, stage set, etc.

3. to write, direct, or produce (a play) with the action taking place as if in a specified locale or time.

   He staged the fantasy on Mars in the year 2500.

4. to plan, organize, or carry out (an activity), especially for dramatic or public effect.

   Workers staged a one-day strike.

5. to classify the natural progression of (a disease, especially cancer).

6. to prepare (a home) for sale in such a way as to appeal to potential buyers and generate a higher selling price.

   They were initially reluctant to hire someone to stage their apartment.

verb (used without object)

• stages,
  present (3rd person singular)
• staged,
  past participle,  past
• staging
  present participle

1. to be suitable for presentation or performance on the stage.

   The script didn't stage well.

2. to travel by stagecoach.

idioms

1. go on the stage, to become an actor, especially in the theater.

   She knew from the age of 12 that she would go on the stage.

2. by easy stages, working, traveling, etc., slowly, with frequent pauses; unhurriedly, with many stops; gradually.

3. on stage, performing, especially as an actor.

4. hold the stage,

   1. to continue to be produced, as a play or other theatrical production.

   2. to be the center of attention.

stage British  

/ steɪdʒ /

noun

1. a distinct step or period of development, growth, or progress

   a child at the toddling stage

2. a raised area or platform

3. the platform in a theatre where actors perform

4. the theatre as a profession

5. any scene regarded as a setting for an event or action

6. a portion of a journey or a stopping place after such a portion

7. short for stagecoach

8. a division of a bus route for which there is a fixed fare

9. one of the separate propulsion units of a rocket that can be jettisoned when it has burnt out See also multistage

10. any of the various distinct periods of growth or development in the life of an organism, esp an insect

    a larval stage

    pupal stage

11. the organism itself at such a period of growth

12. a small stratigraphical unit; a subdivision of a rock series or system

13. the platform on a microscope on which the specimen is mounted for examination

14. electronics a part of a complex circuit, esp one of a number of transistors with the associated elements required to amplify a signal in an amplifier

15. a university subject studied for one academic year

    Stage II French

16. not hurriedly

    he learned French by easy stages

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verb

1. (tr) to perform (a play), esp on a stage

   we are going to stage ``Hamlet''

2. (tr) to set the action of (a play) in a particular time or place

3. (tr) to plan, organize, and carry out (an event)

4. obsolete (intr) to travel by stagecoach

stage More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing stage

• at this stage
• set the scene (stage) for

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• stageability
  noun
• stageableness
  noun
• superstage
  noun
• understage
  noun
• restage
  verb (used with object)
• interstage
  adjective
• stageable
  adjective
• stageably
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• stages
  plural

Participles

• staging
  present
• staged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• stage
  simple
• stages
  simple
• have staged
  perfect
• has staged
  perfect
• am staging
  progressive
• are staging
  progressive
• is staging
  progressive
• have been staging
  perfect progressive
• has been staging
  perfect progressive

Past

• staged
  simple
• had staged
  perfect
• was staging
  progressive
• were staging
  progressive
• had been staging
  perfect progressive

Future

• will stage
  simple
• will have staged
  perfect
• will be staging
  progressive
• will have been staging
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of stage

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (noun) from Old French estage ( French étage ), from Vulgar Latin staticum (unattested) “standing place,” equivalent to stat(us) status + -icum, neuter of -icus -ic

Explanation

A stage is a certain phase, like the toddler stage, when kids learn to walk and talk. Another kind of stage is a platform for a performance, although according to Shakespeare, “All the world's a stage.” There are stages of life, development, and grief — and stages of a rocket launch. Another kind of stage is the one that actors, singers, and puppet masters perform on. The profession of theater acting itself is in fact sometimes referred to as "the stage," and to put on a play is to stage it. A "stage whisper" is one between actors that's loud enough for the audience to hear, and a "stage name" is an actor's professional name.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stage stages staged staging

Manchester United have just six points from their opening six games of the Premier League season, their fewest at this stage of a league campaign since 1986-87, when they amassed four under Sir Alex Ferguson.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

Around 10-15% of people with stage two or three bowel cancer have this genetic make-up, equivalent to roughly 2,000-3,000 cases each year in the UK.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026

Great waves of warmth, as from a fire blazing in a cozy hearth, flow from the stage in the musical “Buena Vista Social Club,” wrapping the audience in a cocoon of musical bliss.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026

The “Copacabana” singer is slated to hit the stage again on Friday evening.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

Ethan gestured to the rear of the drive-in, where the stage faced the curve of the lake.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

The researchers focus on where these cells appear during different stages of healing and how diabetes can disrupt their normal behavior.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026

The study, published in the journal Life Sciences, was designed to examine what happens to adipose tissue during the earliest stages of strength training, before weight loss could influence the results.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

Melius Research analyst James West believes the market’s positive reaction of late is justified, as “we are in the very early stages of a true, global nuclear renaissance,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

As the designs were only in the very early stages, they would be unveiled closer to their launch.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

I hope she’ll feel the same way about pretend walls on imaginary stages, I thought as I tucked her hall pass into my pocket.

From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen

Other insurance fraud cases flagged by the ABI include someone who staged car crashes with people they met online and a complex travel insurance scam involving multiple fake identities and documents.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

Turkey has expressed concern over the attacks on Black Sea shipping and Turkish seafarers have staged protests over deaths suffered in the attacks.

From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026

Esparza’s contribution to that 2023 pop-up was called “Corpo RanfLA: Terra Cruiser” and was originally staged outside the fairgrounds of Art Basel Miami a year prior.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

SpaceX staged the biggest IPO ever, and stockbuyers were eager to buy shares of new, fast-growing—but also risky—companies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

In 1936, the Summer Olympic Games were staged in Berlin.

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

By comparison, 37.5% of those staging IPOs in 2025 were trading above their offering price as of the same date, according to the bank.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

After trading sideways for much of the past year, the “Magnificent Seven” have been staging a comeback, helping to re-energize a bull market threatened by rising bond yields and stubbornly high crude-oil prices.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

Staff at Glasgow Caledonian University are staging strike action, with all three campus unions walking out together for the first time over planned job cuts.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

A behind-the-scenes video of a Northern California high school football team staging a fun-filled photo shoot at their local In-N-Out quickly racked up nearly a million views on Instagram.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026

She walked through the shower stall into the bathroom, put on white socks, and continued inward, opening a door that led to the Level 3 staging area.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Related Words

• do
• execute
• mount
• open
• orchestrate
• organize
• perform
• play
• present
• put on