diff --git a/pandas/core/strings.py b/pandas/core/strings.py
index 72d778524a364..80abf0483c9a5 100644
--- a/pandas/core/strings.py
+++ b/pandas/core/strings.py
@@ -2977,7 +2977,7 @@ def encode(self, encoding, errors="strict"):
     _shared_docs[
         "str_strip"
     ] = r"""
-    Remove leading and trailing characters.
+    Remove %(position)s characters.
 
     Strip whitespaces (including newlines) or a set of specified characters
     from each string in the Series/Index from %(side)s.
@@ -3040,20 +3040,29 @@ def encode(self, encoding, errors="strict"):
     """
 
     @Appender(
-        _shared_docs["str_strip"] % dict(side="left and right sides", method="strip")
+        _shared_docs["str_strip"]
+        % dict(
+            side="left and right sides", method="strip", position="leading and trailing"
+        )
     )
     @forbid_nonstring_types(["bytes"])
     def strip(self, to_strip=None):
         result = str_strip(self._parent, to_strip, side="both")
         return self._wrap_result(result)
 
-    @Appender(_shared_docs["str_strip"] % dict(side="left side", method="lstrip"))
+    @Appender(
+        _shared_docs["str_strip"]
+        % dict(side="left side", method="lstrip", position="leading")
+    )
     @forbid_nonstring_types(["bytes"])
     def lstrip(self, to_strip=None):
         result = str_strip(self._parent, to_strip, side="left")
         return self._wrap_result(result)
 
-    @Appender(_shared_docs["str_strip"] % dict(side="right side", method="rstrip"))
+    @Appender(
+        _shared_docs["str_strip"]
+        % dict(side="right side", method="rstrip", position="trailing")
+    )
     @forbid_nonstring_types(["bytes"])
     def rstrip(self, to_strip=None):
         result = str_strip(self._parent, to_strip, side="right")