left-wing
/ˌleftˈwɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌleftˈwɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌleft ˈwɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌleft ˈwɪŋ/ (ame, ipa)
left-wing — adjective
1. holding the belief that money and influence in society ought to be spread more e
holding the belief that money and influence in society ought to be spread more evenly, and supporting parties or government policies that work toward greater economic and social fairness — for example, higher taxes on the rich, stronger public services, or better protections for workers.
The newspaper has always supported left-wing policies on healthcare and education.
collocation: left-wing policies / left-wing voters
Tanvi's father was a left-wing union organiser who fought for workers' rights.
Left-wing voters in the region demanded better funding for public schools.
Dario joined a left-wing student group that campaigned for affordable housing.
- progressive
broader term that emphasises social reform rather than economic redistribution specifically
- socialist
more specific, usually implies support for public or collective ownership of major industries
- liberal
in the US context, often overlaps with left-wing; in other contexts, liberal can describe a centrist position focused on individual freedoms
- right-wing
opposite political orientation, favouring tradition, free markets, and smaller government
文法句型
left-wing + noun
用法筆記
Typically used before a noun (attributive position), e.g. 'left-wing politician', 'left-wing policies'. The comparative and superlative forms ('more left-wing', 'most left-wing') are common in political analysis.
常見錯誤
left-wing — noun
1. the people, political parties, and ideas that support greater social and economi
the people, political parties, and ideas that support greater social and economic equality, and that typically favour a stronger role for government in providing public services, regulating business, and reducing the gap between the rich and the poor.
The left-wing won a major victory when the new minimum wage law was passed.
the left-wing as a collective political group
Soraya argues that the left-wing has failed to address the concerns of rural communities.
Supporters of the left-wing gathered outside parliament to protest the budget cuts.
In many European countries, the left-wing has historically supported stronger workers' protections.
- the left
shorter, more common in everyday and journalistic use
- the progressive movement
focuses on the broader social-reform aspect rather than the political category
- the right-wing
the opposite end of the political spectrum
- the right
shorter antonym, equally common
文法句型
the left-wing + singular/plural verb
常見錯誤
2. the members of a political party whose views are more strongly socialist or prog
the members of a political party whose views are more strongly socialist or progressive than those of the party's mainstream leadership, and who often push for more radical policies from within the party.
The party's left-wing pushed for stricter environmental regulations than the leadership wanted.
the party's left-wing — possessive structure for internal faction
Tariq belongs to the left-wing of the Labour Party and supports public ownership of railways.
A split between the left-wing and the moderates weakened the party before the election.
Femi argued that the left-wing of the party should form its own movement.
- the left flank
less common, often used in journalistic writing to vary phrasing
- the progressive wing
emphasises the social-reform aspect rather than the ideological position
- the right-wing
the conservative faction within the same party
文法句型
[possessive] + left-wing
the left-wing of + [party/organisation]
用法筆記
Often capitalised as 'Left' or 'left wing' when referring to a specific, named faction within a party (e.g. 'the Labour Left'). Frequently used in the pattern 'the left-wing of + [organisation name]'.
3. the left-wing parties, groups, and individual figures that together make up the
the left-wing parties, groups, and individual figures that together make up the left-of-centre political landscape of a particular country or region — distinguished from the abstract concept of 'the left' by its reference to a specific national or regional context, often introduced with a geographical adjective such as 'French' or 'Latin American'.
The French left-wing includes several parties that disagree on economic strategy.
the [country] left-wing — geographic reference for a political camp
Across Latin America, the left-wing has gained ground by promising better public healthcare.
Mira believes the German left-wing must modernise its message to attract younger voters.
The country's left-wing united behind a single candidate for the first time in decades.
- the left
shorter and more general; 'the left' can include voters and ideas, while 'the left-wing' often specifically names the parties and figures
- leftist parties
more formal and explicit about the organisational nature
- the progressive camp
focuses on the shared political goal of reform rather than the ideological label
- the right-wing
the opposite political category
- the conservative camp
emphasises the ideological contrast
文法句型
the + [geographic adjective] + left-wing
the left-wing in + [place]
4. the attacking position on the left side of the playing area in team sports such
the attacking position on the left side of the playing area in team sports such as association football (soccer), field hockey, or rugby; also used to describe the player who plays in that position.
Mauricio plays left-wing for the national football team in Brazil.
plays left-wing — sports position, no article
The coach moved Piotr from centre-forward to left-wing to use his speed on the flank.
Léa crossed the ball from the left-wing into the penalty area.
Saira was the fastest player, so the coach put her on the left-wing.
- left winger
a more common noun form for the player, e.g. 'He is a left winger' rather than 'He plays left-wing'
- outside left
older term, still used in some traditional football commentary
- right-wing
the attacking position on the opposite side of the field
文法句型
play + left-wing
on the left-wing
a left-wing
用法筆記
Primarily British English. In American English, the equivalent position in soccer is called 'left wing' or 'left midfielder'; in ice hockey, the term 'left wing' is used in both varieties. 'Play left-wing' (no article) is the most common pattern for describing a player's role.