left 1 of 2

Definition of leftnext
as in liberalism
a political belief stressing progress, the essential goodness of humankind, and individual freedom a rising politician who is being hailed as the new voice of the left

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

left

2 of 2

verb

past tense of leave
1
2
as in bequeathed
to give by means of a will I'm going to leave all of my possessions to my children

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in quit
to give up (a job or office) he left his job in the city and moved out into the country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of left
Noun
While the first floor is buzzy, with a restaurant to your left, bar right ahead, and café to the right—the layout and design upkeeps the hotel’s overall swanky and cool nature. Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026 Bashar is on the left, his body slightly angled away, his face uneasy. Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026 There is an inevitable clash in the priorities of the left and the realities of day-to-day governance, especially when those priorities are not shared throughout the existing political system. Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026 Delgado, meanwhile, is staking out his position to the left of Hochul, and tapped India Walton, a progressive, to be his running mate. Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for left
Recent Examples of Synonyms for left
Noun
  • The persistence of legality masks the erosion of liberalism.
    Alejandro Reyes, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
  • The present world order is characterized by liberalism, democracy, and capitalism, not because this is good, right, or better; but because the most powerful nation in the world since 1945 has been a liberal democratic capitalist country.
    News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Eli, who was adopted by a white woman as a child, has mostly abandoned any ties to his ethnic background.
    Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026
  • Forensic experts testified that tiny fragments of flesh found inside William McGuire’s abandoned Nissan Maxima belonged to the victim and were not consistent with material shed by a living person.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 1 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Complicating matters further, Charles has bequeathed his school to his frenemy Magneto.
    Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Given to Princess Mary as a wedding gift by the County of Lincoln, it was later bequeathed to Queen Elizabeth.
    Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Yun, the expecting mother who quit her job, often finds public attitudes unfriendly toward children.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Sullivan had just quit his real-life job to start at the bottom inside the Packers then, too.
    Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The tall girl arranged her curls behind her ears and handed me three cones with vanilla and chocolate.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
  • Cal State Northridge handed UC San Diego’s men’s basketball team its third straight loss Saturday.
    Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Prosecutors argued the gait of a person who walks with a limp can be seen in one of the people in the surveillance video from the homicide scene and the site where the SUV was dumped.
    Emerson Clarridge Updated February 6, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Then in quick succession, a storm dumped a blanket of snow over the Southeast that lingered for days as temperatures plunged again.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • An American surfer managed to drag his surfboard onto the train, even though it wasn’t allowed.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
  • James’ 2020 debut feature, Relic — a slow-burn chiller about three generations of women tormented by a presence in the family home — worked because the director never allowed her control of the material to slacken, even when the narrative was stretched a bit thin.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • For the second time in days, a driver ignored barricades in Pisgah National Forest and got stranded in the snow, according to officials in western North Carolina.
    Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Keep your fuel tank at least half-full to prevent fuel lines from freezing, and for extra fuel if you get stranded.
    Cailey Gleeson, jsonline.com, 4 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Left.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/left. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.

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