cast 1 of 2

verb

ˈkast How to pronounce cast (audio)
Definition of castnext
1
as in to radiate
to throw or give off spermaceti candles, made from whale oil, are known to cast an exceptionally bright light

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2
as in to aim
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal cast her eyes skyward for signs of the rescue plane

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3
as in to prepare
to put (something) into proper and usually carefully worked out written form carefully cast the letter of complaint as politely as possible

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4
as in to throw
to send through the air especially with a quick forward motion of the arm cast a rock into the stream

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cast

2 of 2

noun

1
as in prediction
a declaration that something will happen in the future stock market analysts offered an optimistic cast for the coming year

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2
as in shade
a property that becomes apparent when light falls on an object and by which things that are identical in form can be distinguished the walls had a slight yellowish cast

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in glance
an instance of looking especially briefly a mischievous cast in his eye when we asked what our destination would be

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4
as in look
facial appearance regarded as an indication of mood or feeling his face took on a somewhat sad cast when we asked how his ill wife was faring

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5
as in shape
the outward appearance of something as distinguished from its substance the lovely cast of the baby's features

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word cast distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of cast are fling, hurl, pitch, sling, throw, and toss. While all these words mean "to cause to move swiftly through space by a propulsive movement or a propelling force," cast usually implies lightness in the thing thrown and sometimes a scattering.

cast it to the winds

When might fling be a better fit than cast?

While in some cases nearly identical to cast, fling stresses a violent throwing.

flung the ring back in his face

When can hurl be used instead of cast?

The words hurl and cast are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hurl implies power as in throwing a massive weight.

hurled himself at the intruder

When would pitch be a good substitute for cast?

The words pitch and cast can be used in similar contexts, but pitch suggests throwing carefully at a target.

pitch horseshoes

Where would sling be a reasonable alternative to cast?

Although the words sling and cast have much in common, sling stresses either the use of whirling momentum in throwing or directness of aim.

slung the bag over his shoulder

When is it sensible to use throw instead of cast?

The meanings of throw and cast largely overlap; however, throw is general and interchangeable with the other terms but may specifically imply a distinctive motion with bent arm.

can throw a fastball and a curve

In what contexts can toss take the place of cast?

While the synonyms toss and cast are close in meaning, toss suggests a light or careless or aimless throwing and may imply an upward motion.

tossed the coat on the bed

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cast
Verb
Earlier this year, for instance, Minnesota's secretary of state received grand jury subpoenas seeking a limited number of individual voter records as part of a federal investigation into whether noncitizens are registered to vote or have unlawfully cast ballots. —Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 12 June 2026 Experts said one-off cases, even if true, couldn’t change the outcome of an election in which hundreds of thousands of votes were cast. —Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
Noun
June 15 was also the deadline for Netflix to extend the options on the cast of The Boroughs. —Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2026 During the second night of her Lux Tour at Madison Square Garden Rosalía invited Saturday Night Live cast member Marcello Hernández to give his confession. —Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for cast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cast
  1. radiate
  2. aim
  3. prepare
  4. throw
  5. prediction
  6. shade
  7. glance
  8. look
Verb
  • The largely peaceful celebration radiated out into the streets around the Garden, with some fans climbing on street signs and jumping on top of vehicles.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
  • Sebring is one of the country’s last remaining circular cities, which means its main downtown district is situated around a circular park from which six avenues radiate.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 June 2026
Definition of radiate
Verb
  • Mexico, a co-host of the tournament alongside the United States and Canada, is aiming to reach the knockout stage of the World Cup and advance beyond the round of 16.
    — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
  • The new partnership marks the most ambitious collaboration between HRTS and Easterseals Disability Services to date, with the organizations previously joining forces on numerous initiatives aiming to improve accessibility in the entertainment industry and authentic representation on screen.
    — Arushi Jacob, Variety, 18 June 2026
Definition of aim
Verb
  • Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Islamabad was preparing for an electronic signing, to be followed by technical-level talks in the coming week.
    — Mike Snider, USA Today, 15 June 2026
  • Because Simon’s already got this prepared.
    — Carita Rizzo, Deadline, 14 June 2026
Definition of prepare
Verb
  • Bottles and coolers were thrown toward officers as more police moved in, Prokupecz reported.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
  • No one had thrown 50 since 1988, when Dodgers legend Orel Hershiser set the record with 59.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2026
Definition of throw
Noun
  • Though rooted in research and development, reliable, frequent precipitation measurements had value for agricultural, disaster management, weather forecasting, flood prediction and other applications.
    — Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
  • The Polymarket sponsorship comes at a time when there are already concerns about potential insider trading among White House staff and allies as betting on prediction markets have come under scrutiny.
    — Isabella Murray, ABC News, 14 June 2026
Definition of prediction
Noun
  • Each métier has its own color scheme inspired by British history, architecture and interior design, including peach and salmon pink for the womenswear rooms, marine blue for menswear, sunflower yellow for watches and jewelry, and shades of rich red for the leather accessories collections.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 16 June 2026
  • When painted in the kitchen alone, this shade of dark gold could reduce offers by $6,630.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 16 June 2026
Definition of shade
Noun
  • Brunson, whose father Rick was on the Knicks during their 1999 Finals run and is now an assistant coach with the team, is a stand-in for the outer-borough striver, underestimated at first glance, but blessed with moxie.
    — Sean Gregory, Time, 14 June 2026
  • That’s why the DC Defenders defensive lineman couldn’t help but glance at his Google Calendar while chatting.
    — Noah White, Washington Post, 14 June 2026
Definition of glance
Noun
  • This foundation stick blends buildable coverage with hours of hydration, thanks to hyaluronic acid that plumps skin from within and visibly softens the look of fine lines both immediately and over time.
    — Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 13 June 2026
  • Meanwhile, the Silver Moss pair takes on a stormy look that’s well-suited for late summer nights, while the Quicksand variation does its best wheat work boot impression for a look that will transition seamlessly into fall.
    — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 13 June 2026
Definition of look

Phrases Containing cast

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cassettes
cast
cast about
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Cite this Entry

“Cast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cast. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cast

Nglish: Translation of cast for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cast

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