cast adrift

verb

cast adrift; casting adrift; casts adrift
1
: to cause (a boat) to float on the water without being tied to anything or controlled by anyone
often used as (be) cast adrift
a small lifeboat was cast adrift in the open sea
2
: to cause (someone) to float on the water in a boat that is not tied to anything or controlled by anyone
often used as (be) cast adrift
They were cast adrift in a small, leaky boat.
often used figuratively
I was cast adrift in a sea of confusion.

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Cite this Entry

“Cast adrift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cast%20adrift. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.

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