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

Relevance

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
The spring low to his left almost took him beyond the ball. Jack Lang, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026 Those proceeding more quickly were given the right-of-way to pass on the left. Byron Hurd, The Drive, 26 Feb. 2026 Saturn and Neptune will appear just above Mercury and Venus, while Jupiter and Uranus will appear a bit higher in the western sky, to the left of the others. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026 That house on the left − empty. Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for left
Recent Examples of Synonyms for left
Noun
  • During Vargas Llosa’s lifetime, his political beliefs underwent extreme changes, from supporting Castro’s revolutionary Communism to championing traditional European liberalism, which included an adamantine belief in unregulated markets.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
  • The 1984 speech that so moved Baldwin remains one of the greatest articulations of American liberalism ever made.
    Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Many at Sunday’s demonstration were draped in American, Israeli or Iranian flags, the latter emblazoned with a golden lion that represented the traditional banner abandoned when the Islamic Republic came to power.
    Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
  • Many of the artists associated with SAAP, including Paksa, then abandoned art in favor of various forms of activism.
    Daniel R. Quiles, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • When Greville died, the earrings were bequeathed to the Queen Mother, who then, along with her husband King George VI, gave Princess Elizabeth the pair of earrings for her wedding day.
    Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 23 Feb. 2026
  • When Greville died, the earrings were part of an extraordinary collection of jewels that were bequeathed to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
    Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 22 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Bachman quit the band after the Fillmore show in May 1970, fed up with the rigors of touring, business disputes, and lifestyle clashes.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2026
  • And the quits rate of workers voluntarily leaving their jobs — which can reflect their degree of confidence in the job market — stayed relatively low at around 2% throughout 2025.
    Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Orlando City went down a man in the 88th minute when Colin Guske was handed a second yellow card for a foul on Messi, who two minutes later scored the fourth Miami goal, burying his free kick to complete the brace.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 2 Mar. 2026
  • We are handed a life sentence of grief.
    Conor Wight, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Then return to their wrap or better yet, a saucer where excess water can be easily seen and dumped.
    Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2026
  • The last notable time when cities and towns dumped snow into the Bay was after the Blizzard of '78.
    Alex Kuffner, The Providence Journal, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The report was based on data collected in recent days once weather conditions allowed responders to reach the mountain where nine people were killed in the deadly slide.
    Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026
  • Noah Whittaker allowed one run in three innings of relief to earn the win for Newport Harbor.
    Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Peach growers throughout the Yuba-Sutter area and Central Valley are reckoning with the fallout from Del Monte’s bankruptcy, which stranded many growers with 20-year contracts for peaches totaling more than $550 million.
    Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Rocker stranded a runner at third base to end the first inning.
    Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Left.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/left. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.

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