outcast

1 of 2

noun

out·​cast ˈau̇t-ˌkast 

1

: one that is cast out or refused acceptance (as by society)

2

[Scots cast out to quarrel] Scotland : quarrel

outcast

2 of 2

adjective

1

: rejected or cast out by society

I felt no longer outcast, vagrant, and disowned by the wide world.

—Charlotte Brontë

He breaks through the stereotype and humanizes this outcast group of young people.

—Publishers Weekly

Tom was like the rest of the respectable boys, in that he envied Huckleberry his gaudy outcast condition, and was under strict orders not to play with him.

—Mark Twain

2

: thrown aside : discarded

a pile of outcast furniture

outcast beliefs

Synonyms of outcast

Noun

• reject
• pariah
• leper
• castaway
• castoff

Examples of outcast in a Sentence

Noun

She felt like a social outcast.

the professor is something of an outcast in the halls of academe now that his former support of a dictatorial regime has become public

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

His leading role as depressed outcast Pierre earned him his first of two Tony Award nominations for best actor in a musical. — Paul Grein, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2026

The one-of-a-kind tribute to the eternal hitmaker tells a Wizard of Oz-esque story (fitting for one of the stars of The Wiz) about a group of four outcasts who learn to embrace their unique talents after being gifted special objects from Michael. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Aug. 2026

Adjective

Three students emerge as protagonists, two troublemaking boys and an outcast girl, who unsteadily becomes their friend. — Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2026

In Season 3, David’s transformation from outcast shepherd to fierce warrior to chosen King is finally complete. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for outcast

• aghast
• amassed
• biassed
• broadcast
• bypassed
• downcast
• forecast
• foremast
• harassed
• holdfast
• mainmast
• newscast

Kids Definition

outcast

noun

out·​cast -ˌkast 

: a person who is cast out by society : pariah

outcast adjective