onstage

adverb or adjective

on·​stage ˈȯn-ˈstāj How to pronounce onstage (audio)
ˈän-, 
-ˌstāj
: on or onto a stage : on a part of the stage visible to the audience

Examples of onstage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Gadhia said onstage that for better or for worse, the band grew up on stages like Starlight. — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 3 Aug. 2026 With a wide range of artists and genres at the festival, several fashion aesthetics could be seen onstage. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 31 July 2026 The actress, perhaps best known for her roles onstage and on TV’s Glee, Pushing Daisies, and The West Wing, has long been open about being adopted. — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 30 July 2026 Saldaña was joined onstage at the SVA Theatre by Kidman, who plays Kaitlyn Meade, the CIA official overseeing the entire Lioness program. — Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for onstage

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of onstage was in 1925

Rhymes for onstage

See All Rhymes for onstage

Browse Nearby Words

onst
onstage
on standby
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Onstage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onstage. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

onstage

adverb or adjective
on·​stage ˈȯn-ˈstāj How to pronounce onstage (audio)
ˈän-
: on or onto a stage : on a part of the stage visible to the audience

More from Merriam-Webster on onstage

Nglish: Translation of onstage for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All