offstage

adverb or adjective

off·​stage ˈȯf-ˈstāj How to pronounce offstage (audio)
-ˌstāj
1
: on a part of the stage not visible to the audience
2
: in private life
known offstage as a kindly person
3
: behind the scenes : out of the public view
much of the important work of the conference was done offstage

Examples of offstage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The duo, who married in 1991, then walked offstage together as Springsteen placed an arm around his wife’s back. Mary Park, Peoplemag, 30 Oct. 2023 Rumors swirled about McCarver’s health after he was carried offstage. Nate Jones, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2019 During a Chicago performance in July, De la Rocha was carried offstage after repeatedly attempting to put weight on his leg, according to Consequence of Sound. Alexandra Del Rosariostaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2022 In July 1991, Scot — who had just taken the mic at an all-male striptease dance production on a London stage — was stopped mid-sentence by his business partner, who frantically pulled him offstage. Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 22 Nov. 2022 Jessica Stone, the director, previously best known as an actor, has largely moved offstage in recent years and here shows how finely honed her skills have become. Charles Isherwood, WSJ, 11 Nov. 2022 Keerati Jinakunwiphat and Logan Hernandez, frisky like puppies, have the most uncomplicated fun of the whole bunch, frequently running offstage to, presumably, have another roll in the hay. Janine Parker, BostonGlobe.com, 14 July 2022 He was immediately treated by medical personnel and waved to fans as he was wheeled offstage and taken to a nearby hospital. Jem Aswad, Variety, 7 July 2022 Santana was seen waving to fans as he was taken offstage, according to a report from Variety. John Wisely, Detroit Free Press, 6 July 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'offstage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of offstage was in 1861

Dictionary Entries Near offstage

Cite this Entry

“Offstage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offstage. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

offstage

adverb or adjective
off·​stage ˈȯf-ˈstāj How to pronounce offstage (audio)
-ˌstāj
: off or away from the stage

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