Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Aloof or haughty in manner: Describes someone who behaves in a distant, remote, or condescending way.
   • Relating to the rear part of a stage: In theater, pertaining to the area of the stage farthest from the audience.

2. Adverb:

   • At or toward the rear of a stage: A direction for movement or position on a theatrical stage, away from the audience.

3. Noun:

   • The rear part of a stage: The section of a theatrical stage that is farthest from the audience.

4. Verb:

   • To draw attention away from someone, especially another performer: To outshine or steal focus from another actor or person.
   • To force another actor to face away from the audience: In theater, to move to a position that compels another actor to turn their back to the audience.
   • To treat someone in a snobbish or condescending manner: To behave haughtily toward someone, putting them in their place.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:

  • His upstage demeanor made it difficult to approach him.
  • The actor waited in the upstage area for his cue.

• Adverb:

  • The director instructed the chorus to move upstage.

• Noun:

  • The mysterious figure appeared from the upstage.

• Verb:

  • The comedian's hilarious ad-lib completely upstaged the lead actor's serious monologue.
  • By standing downstage, she deliberately upstaged her scene partner.
  • He felt upstaged by the new manager's know-it-all attitude.

Advanced Usage

• "To be upstaged": To have one's attention or glory taken by someone or something else.

  • The CEO was upstaged by the intern's brilliant presentation.

• Technical Theater Usage: The concept of "upstaging" is a specific technique or problem in blocking, where an actor's position forces others into a less favorable orientation toward the audience.

Variants and Related Words

• Upstager (noun): A person who habitually upstages others.
• Upstaging (noun/gerund): The act of upstaging someone.

Synonyms

• Outshine: To be much better than someone else.
• Overshadow: To appear more important or successful than someone else.
• Snub: To insult someone by ignoring them or behaving rudely.
• Condescending: Behaving as though you are more important or intelligent than others.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Phrases

(Note: "Upstage" itself is not typically used in phrasal verb constructions. The advanced usages above cover its idiomatic applications.)

Related Idioms

• "To steal the show": This idiom is closely related to the verb "to upstage." It means to attract the most attention and praise, often unexpectedly.
  • The child actor stole the show with her natural performance.

Adjective

1. remote in manner
   • stood apart with aloof dignity
   • a distant smile
   • he was upstage with strangers
2. of the back half of a stage
   • she crossed to the upstage chair forcing the lead to turn his back to the audience

Adverb

1. at or toward the rear of the stage
   • the dancers were directed to move upstage

Noun

1. the rear part of the stage

Verb

1. steal the show, draw attention to oneself away from someone else
   • When the dog entered the stage, he upstaged the actress
2. move upstage, forcing the other actors to turn away from the audience
3. treat snobbishly, put in one's place