stage-manage

verb

To manage or organise the operation of a theatrical stage; to act as stage manager.

“Bad practices were rife at the factory, but the boss stage-managed the inspectors' visit so that they did not see anything amiss.”

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Meanings

verbstage-manage (third-person singular simple present stage-manages, present participle stage-managing, simple past and past participle stage-managed)

present singular third person stage-manages · participle present stage-managing · participle past stage-managed · past stage-managed

  1. literallyTo manage or organise the operation of a theatrical stage; to act as stage manager.
  2. figurativelyTo carefully control or direct (an event, operation, etc.) from the background, especially in a calculating manner, so as to achieve a particular desired appearance or outcome.

    Bad practices were rife at the factory, but the boss stage-managed the inspectors' visit so that they did not see anything amiss.

Cite this entry
APA

stage-manage. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stage-manage

MLA

“stage-manage.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stage-manage. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “stage-manage,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stage-manage.

Source: stage-manage on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.