as in to dump
to get rid of as useless or unwanted
once she became rich and didn't need them anymore, she cast off all her old friends like so much junk
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as in discarded
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Recent Examples of cast-off
Christine Muhlke, Travel + Leisure, 11 Aug. 2025
There was blood cast-off on the walls in various places, including above Xana's body.
—Robert Birsel
hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
The object doesn’t display a large tail or enveloping coma of cast-off gas, only a hint of dust—but that is expected to change soon.
—Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 16 July 2025
On the table in the middle of the room were silicone peels reminiscent of cast-off snakeskin.
—Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
Inconsistency and injuries have plagued his first two seasons, leading the Colts to acquire New York Giants cast-off Daniel Jones, another former top-10 pick.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 June 2025
The material underfoot was dark brown and appeared to be a mix of wood chips and woody debris, dotted with cast-off rubber and plastic — the shred of a Spalding basketball here, a purple plastic squirrel there.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
Taco Bell also resurrected Crispy Chicken Nuggets, made with all-white meat chicken, zesty jalapeño buttermilk seasoning, and tortilla chip breading, a cast-off from 2021 menus, now available nationwide.
—Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Russia tops the chart of cast-off rockets at this altitude, with 512 uncontrolled spacecraft that could ultimately threaten robotic and human explorers across low Earth orbit.
—Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
Aside from Browning, the only other signal-caller on the active roster is Brett Rypien, who was a castoff of the Minnesota Vikings late in the preseason.
—Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
This is the story of a castoff turned savior.
—Christian Orozco, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
Now, thrift stores and clothing markets from Bulgaria to the Czech Republic are groaning with castoffs.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
Horák had similarly repurposed cast-off items to deliver a vegetarian course of cavatelli pasta.
—Christine Muhlke, Travel + Leisure, 11 Aug. 2025
There was blood cast-off on the walls in various places, including above Xana's body.
—Robert Birsel
hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
The object doesn’t display a large tail or enveloping coma of cast-off gas, only a hint of dust—but that is expected to change soon.
—Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 16 July 2025
On the table in the middle of the room were silicone peels reminiscent of cast-off snakeskin.
—Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
Inconsistency and injuries have plagued his first two seasons, leading the Colts to acquire New York Giants cast-off Daniel Jones, another former top-10 pick.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 June 2025
The material underfoot was dark brown and appeared to be a mix of wood chips and woody debris, dotted with cast-off rubber and plastic — the shred of a Spalding basketball here, a purple plastic squirrel there.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
Taco Bell also resurrected Crispy Chicken Nuggets, made with all-white meat chicken, zesty jalapeño buttermilk seasoning, and tortilla chip breading, a cast-off from 2021 menus, now available nationwide.
—Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Russia tops the chart of cast-off rockets at this altitude, with 512 uncontrolled spacecraft that could ultimately threaten robotic and human explorers across low Earth orbit.
—Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
Adjective
While Campbell praised his quarterback, once viewed as a castoff by the Los Angeles Rams, as the difference in an offense that has the Lions as legitimate Super Bowl contenders, the pressure should start to tighten on the Browns’ management team to explore all quarterback options.
—Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
Aside from Browning, the only other signal-caller on the active roster is Brett Rypien, who was a castoff of the Minnesota Vikings late in the preseason.
—Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
This is the story of a castoff turned savior.
—Christian Orozco, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
Now, thrift stores and clothing markets from Bulgaria to the Czech Republic are groaning with castoffs.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cast-off
Verb
-
Callie, the hottest person at Seattle Grace, went through so much turmoil and humiliation in her relationships prior to that, including, but not limited to, being cheated on by her husband and being dumped by a newly out lesbian who couldn’t handle her being bisexual.—
James Factora,
Them.,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Old Nazi warheads and US warships have been reclaimed by a new army of diverse marine life, as scientists uncover how nature has made use of the munitions and fleets that ended up dumped in waterways during the two world conflicts.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In it, Jackson Lamb (Oldman), River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) and the rest of the MI5 rejects are on the case — and a bit on the defense.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
-
As the saying goes, nobody wants to sit at the reject table.—
Pamela N. Danziger,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In another development, researchers in the US developed a new method that could turn discarded data center hardware into a reliable, eco-friendly source of rare earths and valuable metals.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
In general, soft cheeses like cream cheese, ricotta, and fresh mozzarella should be discarded with any signs of spoilage, including pink discoloration.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Soup holding internally at 113 degrees F after cooling for 2 hours (discarded).—
Gege Reed,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The castaways include a Washington.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
-
The premiere will introduce viewers to the cast, the castaways will build shelters and early alliances, the first immunity challenge will take place and first tribal council will see the first person get voted out.—
Christopher Kuhagen,
jsonline.com,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Eve’s love story continues to captivate fans who are hoping to ditch the frogs and ride off into the sunset with their own successful Prince Charming.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Now, the Nuggets are ditching one of their training camp signings early.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The 2000 coming-of-age comedy starred Patrick Fugit as a high school outcast in 1973 who gets chosen to write a Rolling Stone profile for an up-and-coming rock band called Stillwater.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
13 Sep. 2025
-
When the development quickly becomes public, Mary becomes an outcast, even being asked, only reasonably politely, to leave a societal affair before royalty arrives.—
Mark Meszoros,
Boston Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
This anti-waste brand upcycles materials, and was founded by Kisa Sky Shiga.—
Nadja Sayej,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2022
-
Fanning out like urban guerrillas through Paris’ darkened streets well after midnight, the anti-waste activists shinny up walls and drain pipes, reaching for switches to turn off the lights. Click.—
The Christian Science Monitor,
The Christian Science Monitor,
3 Aug. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Cast-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cast-off. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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