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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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Yet that didn’t stop the backlash when Jacob Elordi—who, like Margot Robbie, hails from Australia—was cast as the mysterious outsider. —Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026 Abraham Lincoln was officially declared winner of the 1860 presidential election as electors cast their ballots. —Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
The fabulous Syrian woman is immediately thrown into the Housewives ringer, with other cast members claiming her husband is having an affair. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 5 Feb. 2026 In addition to Garner, Coster-Waldau and Rice returned for the second season, while new cast members include Rita Wilson and Judy Greer, all of whom took part in the panel discussion. —Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 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 bright and sweet Buckaroo radiates sincerity.
    — David Glickman, Pitchfork, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Instead, find something that does jive with you—whether that’s yoga class, power lifting, or pickleball—and allow your resulting delight to radiate.
    — Outside, Outside, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of radiate
Verb
  • The company aims to maintain production continuity to assist workers with repetitive, physically demanding tasks while upholding quality and safety standards.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Feb. 2026
  • While the rest of the Orlando locker room will take some time off during the week-long break to prepare for the final stretch of the regular season, Richardson will be out west aiming to live up to the dunk contest legacy of his father.
    — Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of aim
Verb
  • The Seahawks used a first-round bye to rest, heal and prepare, and then routed the 49ers in a divisional-round game before beating the Rams, 31-27, to advance to the Super Bowl.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Levy Restaurants was reportedly only preparing 200 for Sunday’s game day.
    — Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of prepare
Verb
  • The drone team stationed at ski jumping has come up with a way to catch the drone, change the battery and throw it back in the air.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 14 Feb. 2026
  • On a 2009 episode of The Rachel Zoe Project, the stylist’s last-minute work obligations threw a wrench in her plans with her then-husband, Rodger Berman.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of throw
Noun
  • Musk’s trimming of his previous space travel predictions came after SpaceX acquired XAI last week, in a move that will merge two of his most ambitious companies into the most valuable private firm in the world.
    — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Here are our picks and predictions for the men’s hockey tournament, with expert analysis and critique from senior writers Sean Gentille, Mark Lazerus and James Mirtle, analytics know-it-all Shayna Goldman and goaltending expert Jesse Granger.
    — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of prediction
Noun
  • Trees and bucks cover eco-friendly cork wallpaper that ties to an antelope statue to signal the travels of Edgar Perry while Lutie’s (his wife) room is its opposite with light salmon shades contrasting wild leopard carpet and soft velvets.
    — Mandy Ellis, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Since each piece is simple and flattering they can be worn together or separately, not to mention the pairing comes in a staggering 19-shade range with sizes spanning from XS to 2XL.
    — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of shade
Noun
  • At first glance, last month’s La Liga fixture between Celta Vigo and Rayo Vallecano looked like any other.
    — Colin Millar, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
  • Here is a selection of data points that provides a glance at Cincinnati.
    — David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of glance
Noun
  • Of course, the look was finished with her chunky engagement ring—an 18-carat yellow-gold band with a two-carat diamond.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Here's your daily look at traffic on major highways in the Kansas City area.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 Feb. 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 15 Feb. 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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