English Explanatory Dictionary

upstage

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The part of a stage that is farthest from the audience or camera.
adv
  1. Toward or at the rear of a theatrical stage.
  2. Away from the audience or camera.
adj
  1. At the rear of a stage.
  2. Haughty, aloof.
verb
  1. To draw attention away from others, especially on-stage.
  2. To force other actors to face away from the audience by staying upstage.
  3. To treat snobbishly.
  4. To restage upward; to restage (a case of a disease, usually a cancer) to a higher stage than that found at last assessment.

Pronunciation

/ʌpˈsteɪd͡ʒ/ en-us-upstage.ogg en-au-upstage.ogg

Word forms

upstage more upstage most upstage upstages upstaging upstaged

Etymology

From up- + stage. The figurative uses “haughty” and “to draw attention away” derive from actors moving to a higher and thus more visible position on a sloped stage.

Synonyms

airy arrogant chesty authoritarian biggity big-headed blustery boastful bombastic buggish cocky conceited disdainful domineering egotistical entitled flatulent flaunting full of oneself glorious grandiose hankty haught haughty haut high-handed high-hat high and mighty highfalutin hoity-toity holier-than-thou hubristic hubristical imperious inflated insolent la-di-da orgulous ostentatious overbearing overweening pompous presumptuous pretentious priggish puffed up sanctimonious self-important snobbish snooty snotty stout stuck up supercilious thrasonic thrasonical toploftical toplofty tumid turgid

Antonyms

downstage
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