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stage direction
noun
: a description (as of a character or setting) or direction (as to indicate stage business) provided in the text of a play
Examples of stage direction in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sometimes Michael Mayer’s stage direction is too crisp and emphatic for its own good.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2024
The funniest bit about the script is the stage directions for the audience.
—Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 29 Feb. 2024
Each element, its rollout determined by the I Ching, unfolded independently from all others: Singers performed arias unrelated to the instrumental accompaniment, which was unrelated to the scenic and lighting design, as well as stage directions.
—Joshua Barone, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024
But the new chamber opera’s libretto and some of the stage direction were disappointing.
—Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2023
William Goldman, one of the greatest modern screenwriters, wrote charming, cajoling stage directions, addressing the reader directly, if passingly, with light touches of confederacy.
—Wyatt Mason, Harper's Magazine, 6 Jan. 2023
The stage direction, too, lacked intent and purpose, with many scenes having the two characters wander aimlessly around a cocktail cart, raising their hands and looking at each other in wordless exasperation.
—Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2023
Slade’s could easily have been described in Wilson’s stage directions as a location for some postshow unwinding.
—Imani Perry, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2023
The quest for the extraordinary in a seemingly ordinary life continues in this make-believe world, interrupted from time to time by the Leading Player giving stage directions.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stage direction.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1790, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near stage direction
Cite this Entry
“Stage direction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stage%20direction. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Kids Definition
stage direction
noun
: a playwright's instruction to a director and actors
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