upstage
An upstage means when someone gets more attention or steals the spotlight from someone else, usually in an awkward or uncomfortable way.
When people talk about someone going upstage, they often mean that this person is taking over a conversation, a performance, or even just dominating a group discussion. It's like when you're having a great time talking to your friends and then suddenly someone else starts telling the same story, but with more dramatic flair, and all eyes are on them now. This can be frustrating if it happens in a work setting or a social situation where you were feeling confident about sharing your ideas.
In theater, the word "upstage" also refers specifically to moving towards the side of the stage opposite the audience, which is technically behind the other actors. So an actor might go upstage to exit the scene without blocking anyone else's view, but in everyday language, people use this term more loosely to describe when someone suddenly becomes the center of attention at the expense of others.
How common is "upstage"?
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
noun
The part of a stage that is farthest from the audience or camera.
verb
To draw attention away from others, especially on-stage.
Example: She only wore that dress to upstage everyone.
adjective
At the rear of a stage.
Example: The minimalist play used no upstage scenery.
adverb
Toward or at the rear of a theatrical stage.
Example: The actor turned and walked upstage.
Real examples of "upstage" in context
