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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6

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
Westbound travelers will have to detour at Byron Highway and use left turns on Brentwood Boulevard and Sellers Avenue, a right on Payne Avenue and a left on Walnut Boulevard to get back onto Vasco Road, which turns into Highway 4. Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 1 May 2026 The play called for Joly to be split out wide to the left, matching him up with FSU cornerback Shamar Arnoux. Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 1 May 2026 Signage is nonexistent, so walk through the lobby, then turn left down the nondescript hallway on the left. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026 To the left, drivers pay no mind to a flashing beacon announcing the school zone, said Gerardo Sandoval, a parent of a student at the south Charlotte magnet school. Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for left
Recent Examples of Synonyms for left
Noun
  • Erdoğan first emerged during the post-Cold War decade of unipolar, American triumph, adopting the language of free markets, liberalism, and human rights, and stretched those politics of optimism into the brief euphoria of the Obama years.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Naqvi’s blend of ethical business and economic hyper-liberalism now seems like a throwback to a different era.
    Hettie O'Brien, The Dial, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • And Sylvie, who still gazes with utmost tenderness at a black-and-white photograph, taken during her time abroad, of a nameless wailing Russian child, has permanently abandoned her own daughter by refusing to visit her.
    James Wood, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Those plans were set aside, however, when Diamantis arrived in federal court earlier this month for a hearing and abandoned a plan to change his plea to guilty.
    Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • One version of the nation’s history anchors itself in the efforts to navigate those tempests, to better the imperfect tools bequeathed to us by imperfect men.
    Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Among the additions to the AKG holdings in that time was the estate of Marisol, a Pop artist who bequeathed it to the museum upon her death in 2016; the museum organized an acclaimed traveling retrospective of her art that first opened in 2023 and landed at the museum the following year.
    Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • For decades, California had some of the strongest legal protections for law enforcement officers in the country, at times allowing those who engaged in serious misconduct to quietly quit and find jobs in other departments.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
  • But in the end, higher jet fuel prices triggered by the Iran war drained cash from the business at an accelerating pace, forcing it to call it quits.
    Bernard Condon, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • Patrick, who framed it as a moral choice, handed the decision to Mira.
    Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Courage defender Felicitas Rauch was handed a straight red card in second half stoppage time for violent conduct on Haley Hopkins.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • Beran dumped a double onto the foul line in left field with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to give Geneva (19-3, 8-2) the lead for good.
    Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2026
  • The lawsuit comes after 30,000 cubic yards of debris from the White House East Wing ballroom demolition project were dumped onto the East Potomac grounds without explanation.
    Christine Valora, The Washington Examiner, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • Soriano allowed three runs on six hits with six strikeouts and three walks in five innings.
    LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
  • If catchers, pitchers, or hitters believed an umpire missed a call, they were suddenly allowed to challenge it.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Vaughn Sharp hit an RBI double in the third for the Mustangs but Sharp was left stranded on third when Blaine retired the next two batters.
    Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The mammal’s health deteriorated as it became repeatedly stranded in shallow waters, and unsuccessful efforts to coax it toward deeper seas were livestreamed across the globe.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Left.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/left. Accessed 7 May. 2026.

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