[0] Perl> printf "[%*s]\n", $_, 'fred' for 4 .. 10;;
[fred]
[ fred]
[  fred]
[   fred]
[    fred]
[     fred]
[      fred]

## Added: left justified
[0] Perl> printf "[%-*s]\n", $_, 'fred' for 4 .. 10;;
[fred]
[fred ]
[fred  ]
[fred   ]
[fred    ]
[fred     ]
[fred      ]