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)
Sheldon Pearce, NPR, 29 Jan. 2026
Her vision is to call on the regions where the United Kingdom offloads its castoffs—say, West Africa or Eastern Europe—to re-manufacture it as well.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 27 Jan. 2026
Women aren’t simply looking for grandma’s castoffs, though.
—Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026
The overarching idea, which brands like Adidas have played with to varying degrees of success, is that making everything out of a single material eliminates the need to strip castoff garments of fiddly buttons and zippers, a time-consuming and often expensive process.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 20 Jan. 2026
Receiver Skyy Moore, a Kansas City Chiefs castoff, started in motion to his right and then came back left as quarterback Brock Purdy received a snap from under center.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
And in the latest transaction for one of the Yankees’ AL rivals, that has meant a new home for a recent castoff.
—Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Quentin was assigned his own Nieuport plane that winter, a castoff from the French flying units.
—Fiona Donovan, Vanity Fair, 30 Dec. 2025
The Colts are being led by another New York castoff, quarterback Daniel Jones, who was released by the Giants last season.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 4 Nov. 2025
Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 2 Dec. 2025
Women in elegant African-print dresses carry burdens on their heads; men in cast-off Western clothes push wooden carts laden with potatoes and carrots.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Close to cast-off time, the tour company canceled the excursion.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Nov. 2025
And its current depth chart at the position is headed by Anthony Richardson and New York Giants cast-off Daniel Jones.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 27 Aug. 2025
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
Noun
In the most roundabout way possible, an agency castoff had become the soul and voice of K-pop's greatest cultural phenomenon yet.
—Sheldon Pearce, NPR, 29 Jan. 2026
Her vision is to call on the regions where the United Kingdom offloads its castoffs—say, West Africa or Eastern Europe—to re-manufacture it as well.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 27 Jan. 2026
Women aren’t simply looking for grandma’s castoffs, though.
—Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026
The overarching idea, which brands like Adidas have played with to varying degrees of success, is that making everything out of a single material eliminates the need to strip castoff garments of fiddly buttons and zippers, a time-consuming and often expensive process.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 20 Jan. 2026
Receiver Skyy Moore, a Kansas City Chiefs castoff, started in motion to his right and then came back left as quarterback Brock Purdy received a snap from under center.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
And in the latest transaction for one of the Yankees’ AL rivals, that has meant a new home for a recent castoff.
—Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Quentin was assigned his own Nieuport plane that winter, a castoff from the French flying units.
—Fiona Donovan, Vanity Fair, 30 Dec. 2025
The Colts are being led by another New York castoff, quarterback Daniel Jones, who was released by the Giants last season.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
The Patriots patched their defensive line with players like Cory Durden, a Giants cast-off who proved worthy of a starting spot at least for one night.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 2 Dec. 2025
Women in elegant African-print dresses carry burdens on their heads; men in cast-off Western clothes push wooden carts laden with potatoes and carrots.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Close to cast-off time, the tour company canceled the excursion.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Nov. 2025
And its current depth chart at the position is headed by Anthony Richardson and New York Giants cast-off Daniel Jones.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 27 Aug. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cast (off)
Verb
-
That made Wall Street nervous that companies will soon be able to dump their existing, specialized subscriptions to data analytics and research software, directly hurting software companies’ bottom lines.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The driver was dumping dirt into a nearby construction zone and left the trailer up while merging onto the freeway.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
These days, the aviary houses parakeets that are mostly rejects from friends whose kids got bored with them.—
Inga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
-
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
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
-
So are discarded fishing nets and all sorts of mesh that can stop a drone from hitting its target.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Trim and discard any tough portions of the bulb, then halve, remove and discard the core.—
Kate Williams,
AJC.com,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Blending this formula with some of the best service in French Polynesia, Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora offers all the elements of a magical castaway experience.—
Jennifer Flowers,
AFAR Media,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Being chosen to participate in such a landmark season is a dream and knowing all the castaways that did not make it here is humbling.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Management ditched them as Inspector Chantez put a Stop Sale on the pastelitos.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Southwest was preparing in a few days to ditch open seating and go to preassigned seat sales.—
Shelby Grad,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As the doppelganger charms the internet and devises a nefarious plot to replace mankind with brainrot, Shiori must partner with other online outcasts to stop her digital counterpart and reclaim her life in the real world.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Harrison went from one of the most respected executives in the league to a complete outcast.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Local laws and supplier audits The OECD has called on Shein to publish further public information about its compliance with France’s anti-waste law (AGEC), which aims to move businesses toward greater circularity.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
1 Oct. 2025
-
This anti-waste brand upcycles materials, and was founded by Kisa Sky Shiga.—
Nadja Sayej,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Cast (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cast%20%28off%29. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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