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
5
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
Despite his status as a longtime Democratic donor, Ellison’s acquisition of The Free Press and his installation of founder Bari Weiss atop CBS News also raised alarm from Democrats, who have criticized some of her editorial decisions as biased against the left. Max Tani, semafor.com, 6 Mar. 2026 Just to the left of Trouvelot lies another large basin that appears even older and more heavily eroded, with its rim almost completely worn away. Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 6 Mar. 2026 But there were plenty of other holes to fill, and the Commodores reeled in seven starters from other FBS programs, an FCS All-American left tackle in Beau Johnson (North Dakota State) and a couple of other rotation players from Power 4 programs. Manny Navarro, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026 Dennis Quaid thinks that American politics have gone too far to the left in recent years. Pat Saperstein, Variety, 22 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for left
Recent Examples of Synonyms for left
Noun
  • The letter codified the idea that the modern West—defined by liberalism, constitutionalism, and multi-party democracy—could be separated, conceptually, from the ancient West, as represented by Greece and Rome.
    Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Randall accused him of a feel-good liberalism that ignores deeper racial and class reckonings that South Bend (a city that is just barely half white) has coming.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Once a gold rush boomtown, Oatman was largely abandoned when the gold miners downed their pickaxes and skipped town—leaving behind a herd of long-eared burros.
    Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
  • It was then abandoned after the war as there was no financial need to continue it at the time.
    Chris Sims, IndyStar, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Manu Yaw Fofie was born into the cocoa farming business, but the land bequeathed to him has become more of a burden than a blessing.
    Edward Acquah, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • During the news conference, Newey spoke of the struggles Honda had faced when rebuilding its engine project after temporarily quitting F1 in 2020, only to reverse its decision in early 2023 to link up with Aston Martin for 2026.
    Luke Smith, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Her character, the beloved nurse Dana, threatened to quit after she was sucker-punched by a patient during her smoke break.
    Sam Reed, Glamour, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The case in Rio de Janeiro’s famed beachside neighborhood, which allegedly took place in January, gained national traction last week when four suspects handed themselves over to authorities.
    Eléonore Hughes, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
  • According to Melissa, on October 28, 1977, Sharrey’s mom dropped her off at her boyfriend’s mobile home and handed her $20.
    Audrey Abrahams, NBC news, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Helicopter crews that dumped water and dragged a large, heavy bucket through the snow to prevent body-recovery teams from getting hit by additional avalanches had further obscured evidence of the deadly slide, Reynaud said.
    Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2026
  • The volunteer cleaning teams found sofas, mattresses and other items dumped illegally on the streets and behind businesses.
    Staff report, Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The default ruling means that Rourke failed to take action to defend against the eviction complaint within the time allowed by law.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Only a fraction of the more than 370 protesters were allowed inside Leavenworth City Hall, where opponents of the facility packed the commission chamber and the lobby overflow room.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • With the Strait effectively blocked and hundreds of tankers stranded, many millions of barrels of oil are stuck at sea.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Streets flooded, leaving cars stranded with water at window level in some places.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Left.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/left. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on left

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster