stage
Americannoun
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a single step or degree in a process; a particular phase, period, position, etc., in a process, development, or series.
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a raised platform or floor, as for speakers, performers, etc.
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Theater.
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the platform on which the actors perform in a theater.
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this platform with all the parts of the theater and all the apparatus back of the proscenium.
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the stage, the theater, especially acting, as a profession.
He plans to make the stage his career.
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Movies. sound stage.
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the scene of any action.
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a stagecoach.
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a place of rest on a journey; a regular stopping place of a stagecoach or the like, for the change of horses, mules, etc.
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the distance between two places of rest on a journey; each of the portions of a journey.
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a portion or period of a course of action, of life, etc..
the adolescent stage of human development.
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Entomology.
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any one of the major time periods in the development of an insect, as the embryonic, larval, pupal, and imaginal stages.
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Also called stadium. any one of the periods of larval growth between molts.
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Economics, Sociology. a major phase of the economic or sociological life of human beings or society.
the patriarchal stage.
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Geology. a division of stratified rocks corresponding to a single geologic age.
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the small platform of a microscope on which the object to be examined is placed.
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Radio. an element in a complex mechanism, as a tube and its accessory structures in a multiple amplifier.
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Rocketry. a section of a rocket containing a rocket engine or cluster of rocket engines, usually separable from other such sections when its propellant is exhausted.
verb (used with object)
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to represent, produce, or exhibit on or as if on a stage.
The drama class staged a play during Christmas vacation.
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to furnish with a stage, staging, stage set, etc.
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to write, direct, or produce (a play) with the action taking place as if in a specified locale or time.
He staged the fantasy on Mars in the year 2500.
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to plan, organize, or carry out (an activity), especially for dramatic or public effect.
Workers staged a one-day strike.
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to classify the natural progression of (a disease, especially cancer).
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to prepare (a home) for sale in such a way as to appeal to potential buyers and generate a higher selling price.
They were initially reluctant to hire someone to stage their apartment.
verb (used without object)
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to be suitable for presentation or performance on the stage.
The script didn't stage well.
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to travel by stagecoach.
idioms
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go on the stage, to become an actor, especially in the theater.
She knew from the age of 12 that she would go on the stage.
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by easy stages, working, traveling, etc., slowly, with frequent pauses; unhurriedly, with many stops; gradually.
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on stage, performing, especially as an actor.
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hold the stage,
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to continue to be produced, as a play or other theatrical production.
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to be the center of attention.
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noun
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a distinct step or period of development, growth, or progress
a child at the toddling stage
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a raised area or platform
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the platform in a theatre where actors perform
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the theatre as a profession
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any scene regarded as a setting for an event or action
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a portion of a journey or a stopping place after such a portion
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short for stagecoach
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a division of a bus route for which there is a fixed fare
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one of the separate propulsion units of a rocket that can be jettisoned when it has burnt out See also multistage
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any of the various distinct periods of growth or development in the life of an organism, esp an insect
a larval stage
pupal stage
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the organism itself at such a period of growth
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a small stratigraphical unit; a subdivision of a rock series or system
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the platform on a microscope on which the specimen is mounted for examination
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electronics a part of a complex circuit, esp one of a number of transistors with the associated elements required to amplify a signal in an amplifier
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a university subject studied for one academic year
Stage II French
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not hurriedly
he learned French by easy stages
verb
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(tr) to perform (a play), esp on a stage
we are going to stage ``Hamlet''
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(tr) to set the action of (a play) in a particular time or place
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(tr) to plan, organize, and carry out (an event)
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obsolete (intr) to travel by stagecoach
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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stageabilitynoun
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stageablenessnoun
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superstagenoun
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understagenoun
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restageverb (used with object)
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interstageadjective
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stageableadjective
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stageablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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stagesimple
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stagessimple
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have stagedperfect
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has stagedperfect
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am stagingprogressive
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are stagingprogressive
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is stagingprogressive
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have been stagingperfect progressive
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has been stagingperfect progressive
Past
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stagedsimple
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had stagedperfect
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was stagingprogressive
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were stagingprogressive
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had been stagingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of stage
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (noun) from Old French estage ( French étage ), from Vulgar Latin staticum (unattested) “standing place,” equivalent to stat(us) status + -icum, neuter of -icus -ic
Explanation
A stage is a certain phase, like the toddler stage, when kids learn to walk and talk. Another kind of stage is a platform for a performance, although according to Shakespeare, “All the world's a stage.” There are stages of life, development, and grief — and stages of a rocket launch. Another kind of stage is the one that actors, singers, and puppet masters perform on. The profession of theater acting itself is in fact sometimes referred to as "the stage," and to put on a play is to stage it. A "stage whisper" is one between actors that's loud enough for the audience to hear, and a "stage name" is an actor's professional name.
Vocabulary lists containing stage
"The Civil Rights Movement"
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Academy Awards, List 1
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Twirling in Tutus: Ballet Vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Dairy farmers have also been known to stage protests - complete with tractors and cattle on Parliament Hill - when faced with possible concessions in trade talks.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
She gave her first ballet performance at 6 on the tiny stage in front of the screen in a Hiroshima movie theater.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Producer Marc Platt and Lionsgate are also developing a stage production of the film for Broadway.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
But keep in mind that AI can make mistakes in the data-scraping stage, so it may give inaccurate salary-range results.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
I let Teresita carry the orchids and follow her up to the stage, where Fidel waits for us, smiling and stroking his beard.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
The social media rule is expected to be rolled out in two stages, the first blocking under-15s from creating new accounts from September 1.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
“Rotations and momentum factor unwinds have in their initial stages tended to lead to increased overall market volatility.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
The discovery offers a rare look at some of the earliest stages of marsupial evolution on the continent.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026
The pain of the semi-final loss to Argentina has been exacerbated by the stinging criticism he has faced from supporters, pundits and journalists over England's defensive retreat in the closing stages.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
The change proceeded by stages, each of which involved just a small alteration in daily life.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
Tech workers and activists have staged protests this month throughout the area, sounding the alarm that AI will become tougher to control as it grows more powerful.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Gandhi had staged a sit-in protest on Tuesday, accusing the government of ignoring students demands and condemning a police crackdown on demonstrations in New Delhi a day earlier.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Celtic Park staged a spectacular opening ceremony in 2014 which featured Rod Stewart, dancing Tunnock's Tea Cakes and a Red Arrows fly over.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
They were controversial events because some were staged in Europe, infringing on territory that had previously been the traditional domain of the DP World Tour.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Behind the riders, the Methodist church staged a patriotic tableau, and then the children of the Wolf Creek School—minus their star pupil, Chase—marched, adorned with blue sashes and singing “Over There.”
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
Chinese diplomats told me the staging wasn’t meant to belittle Putin, noting that the two figures occupy roughly equal portions of the picture’s frame.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
At this new Mommy and Me tennis class, caretakers aren’t just dropping off their kids — they are dropping into the game and staging their own personal comeback stories.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
Chief executive Mark Darbon says the R&A is "getting pretty close" to staging an Open Championship outside of the United Kingdom for the first time, at Portmarnock Golf Club in Dublin.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
The Classical Theatre of Harlem’s poignant outdoor staging of the Bard’s play emphasizes the effects of the tragic protagonist’s war trauma.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
She walked through the shower stall into the bathroom, put on white socks, and continued inward, opening a door that led to the Level 3 staging area.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.