Upstage: meaning, definitions and examples
🎭
upstage
[ ʌpˈsteɪdʒ ]
theatrical performance
To upstage someone means to divert attention away from them to oneself, often in a way that is perceived as selfish or ungracious. This verb is frequently used in theatrical contexts where an actor's actions draw the spotlight away from another performer. It can also apply in everyday situations where one person tries to overshadow another in discussions or social interactions.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- She tends to upstage her colleagues during meetings.
- He upstaged the main actor with his stunning performance.
- It's rude to upstage someone on their special day.
theatrical setting
In theater, the upstage refers to the part of the stage that is farthest from the audience. It is a technical term that indicates a position. Actors may be encouraged to move upstage to change the dynamics of a scene or to help create a particular focal point.
Synonyms
back stage
Examples of usage
- He stepped upstage to give his co-star the spotlight.
- The set design was primarily focused on the upstage area.
- She stood upstage while delivering her monologue.
Translations
Translations of the word "upstage" in other languages:
🇵🇹 fazer sombra
- desprezar
- ofuscar
🇮🇳 उपरी मंच
- ध्यान भंग करना
- अप्रसंगिक बनाना
🇩🇪 überstrahlen
- in den Hintergrund drängen
- ablenken
🇮🇩 mengalahkan
- menonjolkan diri
- mengalihkan perhatian
🇺🇦 затінювати
- відштовхувати
- затьмарювати
🇵🇱 przyćmić
- zepchnąć na dalszy plan
- odwracać uwagę
🇯🇵 目立たせる
- 影に隠す
- 注意をそらす
🇫🇷 éclipser
- faire de l'ombre à
- distraire
🇪🇸 opacar
- desviar la atención
- eclipsar
🇹🇷 gölgeleme
- geri planda bırakma
- dikkat dağıtma
🇰🇷 가리다
- 주목받다
- 주의를 분산시키다
🇸🇦 إخفاء
- إبعاد عن الأنظار
- تشتيت الانتباه
🇨🇿 přehlušit
- odsunout do pozadí
- odvést pozornost
🇸🇰 preraziť
- zatieniť
- odviesť pozornosť
🇨🇳 遮掩
- 使失色
- 转移注意力
🇸🇮 zasenčiti
- potisniti v ozadje
- odvrniti pozornost
🇮🇸 skugga
- hunsa
- afvegja athygli
🇰🇿 көлгірлеу
- көлеңкелеу
- назарын аудару
🇬🇪 დაფარება
- ყურადღების გადატანა
- ჩრდილი
🇦🇿 kölgələmək
- diqqəti yayındırmaq
- arxa planda saxlamaq
🇲🇽 opacar
- desviar la atención
- eclipsar
Word origin
The term 'upstage' originated in the world of theater in the early 20th century, deriving from the layout of traditional proscenium stages. The stage was typically elevated at the back, so when standing at the back, an actor was 'upstage' relative to those at the front. The term quickly evolved to signify not just a physical location on stage but also a type of behavior where one performer overshadowed another by taking more attention. This notion of drawing attention has since permeated everyday language, illustrating how the dynamics of social interactions can reflect performance art. The evolution of the term signifies the blending of theatricality with daily life, showing the lasting impact of theater on language.
Word Frequency Rank
This word's position of #32,287 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.
- ...
- 32284 heatedly
- 32285 wending
- 32286 caddy
- 32287 upstage
- 32288 mineralogist
- 32289 undefinable
- 32290 deliquescent
- ...