Left vs. Leave — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 3, 2023
Left is the past tense of leave, indicating someone has already gone, or refers to a direction opposite of right. Leave means to go away from a place or to permit absence.
Difference Between Left and Leave
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Left, as the past tense of leave, indicates that the action of departing has already occurred. It implies that an individual or object was previously present but is now gone. Leave is an action word; it's what someone does when they go away from somewhere or something.
Left can also denote a spatial orientation, the direction that is the opposite of right. When giving directions, one might say, "Turn left at the light." Leave, however, is used when granting permission or expressing intent to depart. For example, one may say, "I will leave for vacation tomorrow."
The word left can signify remaining items, such as in, "There are three cookies left." Leave can also mean to allow something to remain in a certain state, like in, "Leave the door open, please."
In political contexts, left refers to a position or ideology that typically advocates for social equality and governmental intervention. Conversely, leave in such contexts isn't typically used, but when it is, it refers to the act of withdrawing, such as from a political union or organization.
Left often conveys a completed action, especially when paired with have or has, such as "She has left the building." Leave suggests an impending action or a directive, as in "Please leave the package at the door."
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Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Past tense verb, noun, adjective.
Base form verb, noun.
Usage
Indicates past action or direction.
Indicates future action or permission.
Direction
Opposite of right.
Action of going away from a place.
Context
Completed action or orientation.
Future intent or allowance.
Political Meaning
Pertaining to progressive ideologies.
Withdrawal from an agreement/union.
Compare with Definitions
Left
Political affiliation
He identifies with the left.
Leave
To go away from
He will leave the house at noon.
Left
Side of the human body
He wore his watch on the left wrist.
Leave
A period of time off work
He is on annual leave.
Left
Of, belonging to, located on, or being the side of the body to the north when the subject is facing east.
Leave
Go away from
The England team left for Pakistan on Monday
We were almost the last to leave
She left London on June 6
Left
Of, relating to, directed toward, or located on the left side.
Leave
Allow or cause to remain
The parts he disliked he would alter and the parts he didn't dislike he'd leave
Left
Located on the left side of a person facing downstream
The left bank of a river.
Leave
Cause (someone or something) to be in a particular state or position
I'll leave the door open
He'll leave you in no doubt about what he thinks
The children were left with feelings of loss
Left
Often Left Of or belonging to the political or intellectual left.
Leave
(of a plant) put out new leaves
Trees leaved, wild flowers burst in profusion on the far side of the lake
Left
The direction or position on the left side.
Leave
(in snooker, croquet, and other games) the position in which a player leaves the balls for the next player.
Left
The left side.
Leave
Time when one has permission to be absent from work or from duty in the armed forces
Joe was home on leave
Maternity leave
Left
The left hand.
Leave
Permission
Leave from the court to commence an action
Left
A turn in the direction of the left hand or side.
Leave
To go out of or away from
Not allowed to leave the room.
Left
The people and groups who advocate liberal, often radical measures to effect change in the established order, especially in politics, with the goal of achieving the equality, freedom, and well-being of the common citizens of a state. Also called left wing.
Leave
To go without taking or removing
Left my book on the bus.
Left
The opinion of those advocating such measures.
Leave
To omit or exclude
Left out the funniest part of the story.
Left
(Sports) A blow delivered by a boxer's left hand.
Leave
To have as a result, consequence, or remainder
The car left a trail of exhaust fumes. Two from eight leaves six.
Left
(Baseball) Left field.
Leave
To cause or allow to be or remain in a specified state
Left the lights on.
Left
Toward or on the left.
Leave
To have remaining after death
Left a young son.
Left
Past tense and past participle of leave1.
Leave
To bequeath
Left her money to charity.
Left
Designating the side of the body toward the west when one is facing north; the opposite of right. This arrow points to the reader's left: ←
The left side.
Leave
To give over to another to control or act on
Leave all the details to us.
Left
(geography) Designating the bank of a river (etc.) on one's left when facing downstream (i.e. facing forward while floating with the current); that is, the north bank of a river that flows eastward. If this arrow: ⥲ shows the direction of the current, the tilde is on the left side of the river.
Leave
To abandon or forsake
Leave home.
Left her husband.
Left
(politics) Left-wing; pertaining to the political left.
Leave
To remove oneself from association with or participation in
Left the navy for civilian life.
Left
On the left side.
Leave
To give or deposit, as for use or information, upon one's departure or in one's absence
He left a note for you. Leave your name and address.
Left
Towards the left side.
Turn left at the corner. NO! Your other left.
Leave
To cause or permit to be or remain
Left myself plenty of time.
Left
Towards the political left.
The East Coast of the US leans left in elections.
Leave
(Nonstandard) To allow or permit; let.
Left
The left side or direction.
Leave
To set out or depart; go
When can you leave?.
Left
(politics) The left-wing political parties as a group; citizens holding left-wing views as a group.
The Left left workers behind, thinking they had a winning demographic coalition. It hasn't really worked out for them yet.
Leave
To put forth foliage; leaf.
Left
The left hand or fist.
Leave
Permission to do something.
Left
(boxing) A punch delivered with the left fist.
Leave
An act of departing; a farewell
Took leave of her with a heavy heart.
Left
(surfing) A wave breaking from left to right (viewed from the shore).
Leave
See leave of absence.
Left
Simple past tense and past participle of leave||depart, separate from; (cause or allow to) remain.
There's not much food left.
Leave
To have a consequence or remnant.
Left
Simple past tense and past participle of leave||permit.
We were not left go to the beach after school except on a weekend.
Leave
(transitive) To cause or allow (something) to remain as available; to refrain from taking (something) away; to stop short of consuming or otherwise depleting (something) entirely.
I left my car at home and took a bus to work.
The ants did not leave so much as a crumb of bread.
There's not much food left. We'd better go to the shops.
Left
Of Leave.
Leave
To cause, to result in.
The lightning left her dazzled for several minutes.
Infantile paralysis left him lame for the rest of his life.
She left disappointed.
Left
Of or pertaining to that side of the body in man on which the muscular action of the limbs is usually weaker than on the other side; - opposed to right, when used in reference to a part of the body; as, the left hand, or arm; the left ear. Also said of the corresponding side of the lower animals.
Leave
(transitive) To put; to place; to deposit; to deliver, with a sense of withdrawing oneself.
Leave your hat in the hall.
We should leave the legal matters to lawyers.
I left my sewing and went to the window to watch the falling snow.
Left
Situated so that the left side of the body is toward it; as, the left side of a deliberative meeting is that to the left of the presiding officer; the left wing of an army is that to the left of the center to one facing an enemy.
Leave
To depart; to separate from.
Left
That part of surrounding space toward which the left side of one's body is turned; as, the house is on the left when you face North.
Put that rose a little more to the left.
Leave
To let be or do without interference.
I left him to his reflections.
I leave my hearers to judge.
Left
Those members of a legislative assembly (as in France) who are in the opposition; the advanced republicans and extreme radicals. They have their seats at the left-hand side of the presiding officer. See Center, and Right.
Leave
(transitive) To depart from; to end one's connection or affiliation with.
I left the country and I left my wife.
Left
Location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east;
She stood on the left
Leave
(transitive) To end one's membership in (a group); to terminate one's affiliation with (an organization); to stop participating in (a project).
I left the band.
Left
Those who support varying degrees of social or political or economic change designed to promote the public welfare
Leave
(intransitive) To depart; to go away from a certain place or state.
I think you'd better leave.
Left
The hand that is on the left side of the body;
Jab with your left
Leave
To transfer something.
Left
The piece of ground in the outfield on the catcher's left
Leave
(transitive) To transfer possession of after death.
When my father died, he left me the house.
Left
A turn to the left;
Take a left at the corner
Leave
(transitive) To give (something) to someone; to deliver (something) to a repository; to deposit.
I'll leave the car in the station so you can pick it up there.
Left
Being or located on or directed toward the side of the body to the west when facing north;
My left hand
Left center field
The left bank of a river is bank on your left side when you are facing downstream
Leave
(transitive) To transfer responsibility or attention of (something) (to someone); to stop being concerned with.
Can't we just leave this to the experts?
Left
Not used up;
Leftover meatloaf
She had a little money left over so she went to a movie
Some odd dollars left
Saved the remaining sandwiches for supper
Unexpended provisions
Leave
To remain (behind); to stay.
Left
Intended for the left hand;
I rarely lose a left-hand glove
Leave
To stop, desist from; to "leave off" (+ noun / gerund).
Left
Of or belonging to the political or intellectual right
Leave
(transitive) To give leave to; allow; permit; let; grant.
We were not left go to the beach after school except on a weekend.
Left
Toward or on the left; also used figuratively;
He looked right and left
The political party has moved left
Leave
To produce leaves or foliage.
Left
Past tense of leave
She left the room quietly.
Leave
(obsolete) To raise; to levy.
Left
Direction opposite of right
Take a left at the corner.
Leave
(cricket) The action of the batsman not attempting to play at the ball.
Left
Remaining items
Two slices of pizza were left.
Leave
(billiards) The arrangement of balls in play that remains after a shot is made (which determines whether the next shooter — who may be either the same player, or an opponent — has good options, or only poor ones).
Leave
Permission to be absent; time away from one's work.
I've been given three weeks' leave by my boss.
Leave
Permission.
Might I beg leave to accompany you?
The applicant now seeks leave to appeal and, if leave be granted, to appeal against these sentences.
Leave
(dated) Farewell, departure.
I took my leave of the gentleman without a backward glance.
Leave
To send out leaves; to leaf; - often with out.
Leave
To raise; to levy.
An army strong she leaved.
Leave
To withdraw one's self from; to go away from; to depart from; as, to leave the house.
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife.
Leave
To let remain unremoved or undone; to let stay or continue, in distinction from what is removed or changed.
If grape gatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes ?
These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Besides it leaveth a suspicion, as if more might be said than is expressed.
Leave
To cease from; to desist from; to abstain from.
Now leave complaining and begin your tea.
Leave
To desert; to abandon; to forsake; hence, to give up; to relinquish.
Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
The heresies that men do leave.
Leave
To let be or do without interference; as, I left him to his reflections; I leave my hearers to judge.
I will leave you now to your gossiplike humor.
Leave
To put; to place; to deposit; to deliver; to commit; to submit - with a sense of withdrawing one's self from; as, leave your hat in the hall; we left our cards; to leave the matter to arbitrators.
Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way.
The footThat leaves the print of blood where'er it walks.
Leave
To have remaining at death; hence, to bequeath; as, he left a large estate; he left a good name; he left a legacy to his niece.
Leave
To cause to be; - followed by an adjective or adverb describing a state or condition; as, the losses due to fire leave me penniless; The cost of defending himself left Bill Clinton with a mountain of lawyers' bills.
Leave
To depart; to set out.
By the time I left for Scotland.
Leave
To cease; to desist; to leave off.
Leave off, and for another summons wait.
Leave
Liberty granted by which restraint or illegality is removed; permission; allowance; license.
David earnestly asked leave of me.
No friend has leave to bear away the dead.
Leave
The act of leaving or departing; a formal parting; a leaving; farewell; adieu; - used chiefly in the phrase, to take leave, i. e., literally, to take permission to go.
A double blessing is a'double grace;Occasion smiles upon a second leave.
And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren.
Leave
The period of time during which you are absent from work or duty;
A ten day's leave to visit his mother
Leave
Permission to do something;
She was granted leave to speak
Leave
The act of departing politely;
He disliked long farewells
He took his leave
Parting is such sweet sorrow
Leave
Go away from a place;
At what time does your train leave?
She didn't leave until midnight
The ship leaves at midnight
Leave
Go and leave behind, either intentionally or by neglect or forgetfulness;
She left a mess when she moved out
His good luck finally left him
Her husband left her after 20 years of marriage
She wept thinking she had been left behind
Leave
Act or be so as to become in a specified state;
The inflation left them penniless
The president's remarks left us speechless
Leave
Leave unchanged or undisturbed or refrain from taking;
Leave it as is
Leave the young fawn alone
Leave the flowers that you see in the park behind
Leave
Move out of or depart from;
Leave the room
The fugitive has left the country
Leave
Make a possibility or provide opportunity for; permit to be attainable or cause to remain;
This leaves no room for improvement
The evidence allows only one conclusion
Allow for mistakes
Leave lots of time for the trip
This procedure provides for lots of leeway
Leave
Result in;
The water left a mark on the silk dress
Her blood left a stain on the napkin
Leave
Remove oneself from an association with or participation in;
She wants to leave
The teenager left home
She left her position with the Red Cross
He left the Senate after two terms
After 20 years with the same company, she pulled up stakes
Leave
Put into the care or protection of someone;
He left the decision to his deputy
Leave your child the nurse's care
Leave
Leave or give by will after one's death;
My aunt bequeathed me all her jewelry
My grandfather left me his entire estate
Leave
Have left or have as a remainder;
That left the four of us
19 minus 8 leaves 11
Leave
Be survived by after one's death;
He left six children
At her death, she left behind her husband and 11 cats
Leave
Tell or deposit (information) knowledge;
Give a secret to the Russians
Leave your name and address here
Leave
Leave behind unintentionally;
I forgot my umbrella in the restaurant
I left my keys inside the car and locked the doors
Leave
Permission for absence
She got leave to attend the seminar.
Leave
Departure
The train will leave the station at 5 PM.
Common Curiosities
Can 'left' refer to politics?
Yes, it refers to progressive or socialist political groups.
What does 'leave' mean in employment?
It refers to a sanctioned absence from work.
What does 'left' indicate?
It indicates that someone or something has departed or the direction opposite of right.
Is 'left' used for future actions?
No, 'left' is used for past actions.
Can 'leave' be used as a noun?
Yes, as in taking a 'leave' of absence.
How is 'leave' used as a verb?
It's used to mean to go away from a place or situation.
What does it mean to have 'leftovers'?
It means to have items remaining from before.
How does 'leave' express permission?
It can mean to allow something to happen, as in "leave it be."
What does 'on the left' describe?
It describes something located to the left side.
Is 'left' ever a noun?
Yes, when referring to a political group or direction.
What does 'leave behind' mean?
To forget to bring something along or to abandon.
Is 'left' used in navigational instructions?
Yes, as in "Turn left at the junction."
Can 'left' be an adjective?
Yes, it can describe the side of something that is on the left.
What is 'maternity leave'?
A period of absence from work granted to a mother around the time of childbirth.
Does 'leave' have a past tense form?
Yes, the past tense is 'left'.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
