stage-manage
Americanverb (used with object)
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to work as a stage manager for.
When he wasn't acting, he stage-managed a repertory theater.
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to arrange or stage in order to produce a theatrical or spectacular effect.
The clients were most impressed with the way she stage-managed the whole presentation.
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to arrange or direct unobtrusively or in secret.
He stage-managed Mediterranean black-market operations from his secluded villa on the Riviera.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to work as stage manager for (a play, etc)
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(tr) to arrange, present, or supervise from behind the scenes
to stage-manage a campaign
Etymology
Origin of stage-manage
First recorded in 1875–80; back formation from stage manager
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Extreme efforts to “stage-manage” a student’s narrative can backfire, said Eric Tipler, author of “Write Yourself In: The Definitive Guide to Writing Successful College Admissions Essays.”
Mort Engelberg, a movie producer behind such hits as “Smokey and the Bandit” and “The Big Easy,” who drew on his Hollywood expertise to stage-manage appearances for politicians, notably a bus tour for Bill Clinton and Al Gore following the 1992 Democratic convention, died on Saturday at a hospital in Los Angeles.
From New York Times
“This motley crew try so hard to stage-manage this moment together because they love her so much and want her to succeed, and it’s just so sweet,” explained Marshall.
From Los Angeles Times
But an outburst at a news conference Tuesday showed the country is struggling to stage-manage the global event and keep the lid on domestic controversies.
From Washington Post
Paul Hourican denies that spontaneity has been replaced with major labels using the platform to stage-manage certain songs and trends.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
