left 1 of 2

noun

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
as in abandoned
to cause to remain behind you can leave your lunch in the refrigerator while we're outside starry-eyed lovers who promise never to leave one another

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in handed
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another why don't you leave your watch with me while you swim?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in dumped
to end a usually intimate relationship with is there ever a good way to leave a lover?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in allowed
to give permission to aw, leave him come

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Mary Jane Truemper, who heads the Nebraska Republican Party, said Powell and the state’s Democrats have moved too far to the left. — Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026 The unexpected dynamic has launched a series of headlines that speculate about the speaker’s ambitions and willingness to move to the left to highlight the mayor’s vulnerabilities. — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026 Candidates aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America are driving the Democratic Party further to the left, pulling off upsets in New York City, Michigan, Florida and elsewhere. — Nick Troiano, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2026 Still, even if the current government is removed from power, the new government won’t be a government of the left. — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for left
Recent Examples of Synonyms for left
  1. liberalism
  2. abandoned
  3. bequeathed
  4. quit
  5. handed
  6. dumped
  7. allowed
  8. stranded
Noun
  • The national conservatives embrace Christian nationalism and seek to bulwark the homogeneous nation-state from threats from liberalism.
    — Leonard A. Schuette, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026
  • But, outside of cosmopolitan sections of Tel Aviv, Herzliya, and Haifa, the liberalism that fuelled his humor couldn’t be taken for granted.
    — Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of liberalism
Verb
  • Ukonzaemon Usui, known as Owl, finds a young boy abandoned on the battlefield.
    — Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Financing expires, talent moves on, and production slates are abandoned.
    — Jack Dunn, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of abandoned
Verb
  • More than a century after a rare painting, recently attributed to Gian Lorenzo Bernini, was bequeathed to the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien in 1920, the painting, Portrait of an Old Man, will go on display on December 2, per reports.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Youthful ambition bequeathed them unpredictably shifting time signatures, a daunting nylon-string intro, some odd musical shifts during the guitar-solo section, and a long list of other complexities.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of bequeathed
Verb
  • Craig, now a devoted granddad with a dry sense of humor, began working alongside his father at thirteen, quitting school even though teachers warned him that house moving was a dying trade.
    — Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Hep Spyder blamed Dwight for Buffo Carducci’s quitting on him back when Dwight was Hep’s tent boss.
    — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of quit
Verb
  • The deal also included no guard rails for how the $10 million should be spent, allowing it to be handed directly to two organizations without any effort to seek competitive bids.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Crawford, a longtime supporter of Ukraine and a devotee of the American pit bull terrier, came forward and handed a reddish-yellow puppy to Zelensky.
    — Laurie Kellman, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of handed
Verb
  • These men never anticipated being dumped in a New Jersey ditch so far from home.
    — Jennifer Janofsky, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Younger artists were nipping at her heels, and her record company dumped her.
    — Martha Ackmann, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of dumped
Verb
  • Both were placed on IR-return, which allowed 23-year-old Jacob Bayer to sneak onto the roster after a fantastic camp.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • In the Steelers’ first game of the 2025 season, Jones allowed three sacks on quarterback Aaron Rodgers while lined up at left tackle.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of allowed
Verb
  • The Marlins lost, 4-2, after the bullpen coughed up the lead and after the offense went just 2 for 18 with runners in scoring position and stranded 14 players on base.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Two climbers who became stranded in Big Sur on California's Central Coast were brought to safety following a weekend rescue that was captured on video, according to officials.
    — Tim Fang, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of stranded

Phrases Containing left

Browse Nearby Words

leeway
left
left-handed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Left.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/left. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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