left wing

noun

plural left wings

1

: the leftist division of a group (such as a political party) : the segment of a group (such as a political party) that calls for greater adherence to liberalism (see liberalism sense 2a) or progressivism (see progressivism sense 1)

the left wing of the Democratic Party

2

: political parties and individuals who support or promote political liberalism or progressivism

sometimes, specifically : such parties and individuals who are deeply opposed to capitalism

left-wing

ˈleft-ˈwiŋ 

adjective

left-wing politics

left-winger

ˈleft-ˈwiŋ-ər 

noun

plural left-wingers

the party's left-wingers

Synonyms of left wing

• liberalism
• left

Examples of left wing in a Sentence

His nomination is supported by the party's left wing but opposed by the right wing.

the left wing has lost considerable influence in the party, which is now aggressively courting political moderates

Recent Examples on the Web

Video showed flames on the plane's left wing and a trail of smoke. —Arkansas Online, 5 Nov. 2025

Luostarinen had a perfect pass ahead, and Marchand did the rest, besting DeSmith from the left wing and then pointing to the heavens. —Adam H. Beasley, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025

Johnson blamed House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, two Brooklyn Democrats, for not being able to end the shutdown due to attacks from their party's left wing. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025

Mamdani is a charismatic figure who is dominating the New York Democrat Party by imposing his socialist left wing radical views upon it. —Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for left wing

• bowstring
• coiling
• downswing
• drawstring
• forewing
• hamstring
• lapwing
• mainspring
• offspring
• plaything
• shoestring
• texting