1
: made of cast iron
2
: resembling cast iron: such as
a
: capable of withstanding great strain
a cast-iron stomach
b
: not admitting change, adaptation, or exception : rigid
a cast-iron will
c
British
: not likely to fail or be broken : airtight
"Clever idea, Black, getting yourself seen on a safe station platform … gave you a cast-iron excuse not to leave your hidey-hole in future, didn't it?"—
J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling
: a commercial alloy of iron, carbon, and silicon that is cast in a mold and is hard, brittle, nonmalleable, and incapable of being hammer-welded but more easily fusible than steel
Examples of cast-iron in a Sentence
Adjective
lost weight only after a cast-iron adherence to his diet
he has a cast-iron faith in his innate ability to overcome any adversity that life might throw against him
Noun
The fence is made of cast iron.
Recent Examples on the Web
Nicole Hvidsten, Boston Herald, 16 Apr. 2025
Place a cast-iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat.
—Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2025
Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2025
The victim pushed Gayle, who’s then accused of grabbing a cast iron pan off a shelf and swinging it at the woman.
—Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cast-iron
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Cover the top of the potato cake with parchment and weight it down with a large heavy cast-iron skillet or other ovenproof pan.
—Nicole Hvidsten, Boston Herald, 16 Apr. 2025
Place a cast-iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat.
—Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2025
Noun
Vintage glassware, cast iron skillets, wooden utensils, vintage Pyrex, or ceramic dishware can all be prime finds.
—Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2025
The victim pushed Gayle, who’s then accused of grabbing a cast iron pan off a shelf and swinging it at the woman.
—Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cast-iron
Cite this Entry
“Cast-iron.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cast-iron. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share