1
a
: of, relating to, situated on, or being the side of the body in which the heart is mostly located
her left leg
b
: done with the left hand
a left hook to the jaw
c
: located nearer to the left hand than to the right
a man's left chest
d(1)
: located on the left of an observer facing in the same direction as the object specified
stage left
the left arm of a chair
(2)
: located on the left when facing downstream
the left bank of a river
2
often capitalized
: of, adhering to, or constituted by the left especially in politics
this left government with a cabinet of moderate liberals—
F. A. Magruder
F. A. Magruder
left
adverb
1
a
: the left hand
b
: the location or direction of the left side
c
: the part on the left side
d
: a turn to the left
take a left at the intersection
2
a
b
: a blow struck with the left fist
3
often capitalized
a
: the part of a legislative chamber located to the left of the presiding officer
b
: the members of a continental European legislative body occupying the left as a result of holding more radical political views than other members
4
often capitalized
a
: those professing views usually characterized by desire to reform or overthrow the established order especially in politics and usually advocating change in the name of the greater freedom or well-being of the common man
b
: a radical as distinguished from a conservative position
left
3 of 3past tense and past participle of leave
Synonyms
Examples of left in a Sentence
Adjective
He felt a pain in his left side.
He hit him with a left hook to the jaw.
the left side of the street
Noun
We read from left to right.
You'll take two lefts and then a right.
He hit him with two quick lefts to the stomach followed by a right to the jaw.
Recent Examples on the WebKatie Bain, Billboard, 11 Apr. 2024
Then, Reinhart used a screen from Vladimir Tarasenko to score on the open left side of the net.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
The Kings are listing Keegan Murray as questionable due to left calf soreness.
—Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 11 Apr. 2024
The damage on her left retina, the area at the back of the eye where the brain receives images, looked like the shape of a partial eclipse.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2024
Lyles has missed the past nine games with a left knee sprain.
—Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 31 Mar. 2024
In the shot, a shirtless Moses stood outside with the blue sky behind him, while the actress appeared smiling in a smaller image in the top left corner.
—Jenny Haward, Peoplemag, 30 Mar. 2024
El Modena stranded runners on second and third in the second, left a runner on third in the third, failed to score with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth and left runners on second and third in the fifth.
—Lou Ponsi, Orange County Register, 30 Mar. 2024
Then, there’s the massive American flag, held aloft in Beyoncé’s left hand.
—Aj Willingham, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
Eric D. Lawrence, Detroit Free Press, 13 Apr. 2024
Coyotes forward Clayton Keller then scored with 5:47 left in regulation time, helping to seal the Sharks’ 12th loss in their last 14 games.
—Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2024
This is not surprising when the progressive left offers an echoing silence on men’s issues, and the reactionary right offers fiery rhetoric but no real solutions.
—Richard V. Reeves, TIME, 6 Apr. 2024
Haywood Highsmith rebounded the miss but lost the ball to Maxey, who hit two free throws to seal it with one-tenth of a second left.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
The younger, progressive Democratic left is done with Israel, and fed up with Biden for enabling Netanyahu.
—Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
As a result, students were pretty shaken up, with some left with bumps and bruises.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 3 Apr. 2024
In the family photo, Jonas stood in the center, flanked by Chopra Jonas on his right and his mom on his left.
—Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
The Coast Guard is focused on removing what’s left of the bridge and the container ship that struck it in order to clear the port’s shipping lanes, Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said.
—Lea Skene, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Streaks of silver run through his otherwise black hair, and the diamond stud in his left ear appears real.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 11 Apr. 2024
Then, Reinhart used a screen from Vladimir Tarasenko to score on the open left side of the net.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
The Kings are listing Keegan Murray as questionable due to left calf soreness.
—Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 11 Apr. 2024
The damage on her left retina, the area at the back of the eye where the brain receives images, looked like the shape of a partial eclipse.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2024
Lyles has missed the past nine games with a left knee sprain.
—Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 31 Mar. 2024
In the shot, a shirtless Moses stood outside with the blue sky behind him, while the actress appeared smiling in a smaller image in the top left corner.
—Jenny Haward, Peoplemag, 30 Mar. 2024
El Modena stranded runners on second and third in the second, left a runner on third in the third, failed to score with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth and left runners on second and third in the fifth.
—Lou Ponsi, Orange County Register, 30 Mar. 2024
Then, there’s the massive American flag, held aloft in Beyoncé’s left hand.
—Aj Willingham, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
Noun
With a boulevard in place, separating the different directions of traffic, drivers would have to make their left turns in an indirect way, using crossovers and for large truck traffic, loons.
—Eric D. Lawrence, Detroit Free Press, 13 Apr. 2024
Coyotes forward Clayton Keller then scored with 5:47 left in regulation time, helping to seal the Sharks’ 12th loss in their last 14 games.
—Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2024
This is not surprising when the progressive left offers an echoing silence on men’s issues, and the reactionary right offers fiery rhetoric but no real solutions.
—Richard V. Reeves, TIME, 6 Apr. 2024
Haywood Highsmith rebounded the miss but lost the ball to Maxey, who hit two free throws to seal it with one-tenth of a second left.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
The younger, progressive Democratic left is done with Israel, and fed up with Biden for enabling Netanyahu.
—Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
As a result, students were pretty shaken up, with some left with bumps and bruises.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 3 Apr. 2024
In the family photo, Jonas stood in the center, flanked by Chopra Jonas on his right and his mom on his left.
—Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
The Coast Guard is focused on removing what’s left of the bridge and the container ship that struck it in order to clear the port’s shipping lanes, Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said.
—Lea Skene, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'left.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Noun
Middle English, from Old English, weak; akin to Middle Low German lucht left; from the left hand's being the weaker in most individuals
First Known Use
Adjective
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b
Time Traveler
The first known use of left was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing left
Dictionary Entries Near left
Cite this Entry
“Left.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/left. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
left
1 of 3 adjective1
: of, relating to, or being the side of the body in which the heart is mostly located
the left leg
2
: located nearer to the left side of the body than to the right
the left arm of a chair
left
adverb
left
2 of 3 noun1
: the left side or the part on the left side
2
: the members of a European legislative body sitting to the left of the presiding officer and holding more radical views than other members
3
capitalized
: political liberals or radicals
also
: their beliefs
left
3 of 3past and past participle of leave
Medical Definition
left
adjective
: of, relating to, or being the side of the body in which the heart is mostly located
also
: located nearer to this side than to the right
More from Merriam-Webster on left
Nglish: Translation of left for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of left for Arabic Speakers
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