CASTAWAY Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

castaway 1 of 2

noun

Definition of castaway

as in reject

one who is cast out or rejected by society one theory is that Easter Island was first settled by castaways from Polynesia

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

insider

castaway

2 of 2

adjective

as in lost

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 castaway

Noun

But the Hurricanes turned speedy castaways like Ehlers, Miller, Taylor Hall and Eric Robinson into Cup champions. — Murat Ates, New York Times, 17 June 2026 Rams castaway Cooper Kupp still boasts an unexpected wry sense of humor. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026

Adjective

Chartering a speedboat, we were whisked into the bay, a spellbinding expanse of calm, amniotic water dotted with more than 50 tiny islands and pristine beaches that called to mind castaway fantasies. — David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025 Colts head coach Shane Steichen has found something in castaway quarterback Daniel Jones. — Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 28 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for castaway

Recent Examples of Synonyms for castaway

Noun

And both the immune and eliminated designers are high on their own power; Elizabeth, in particular, is acting mighty haughty for a woman whose ruffled scarlet satin dress looks like a reject from the Westworld costume department.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 July 2026
The most opinionated of these rejects is Smarty Pants, a basic toilet-training tech tool given an amusingly snarky attitude by Conan O’Brien.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026

Definition of reject

Adjective

The Giants coach sounded wistful when talking about Kaepernick and the lost chance to team up with the quarterback who had nearly denied him a Super Bowl ring.

— Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Florida has just 52 certified headache specialists, so for a worker in rural Florida, a diagnosis can mean a lost day’s wages and a long drive.

— Brian T. Bailey, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of lost

Noun

Zero Company meaningfully explores these themes, using a ragtag band of outcasts as a filter to view them.

— Hayes Madsen, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
This quartet of unlikely rock stars traveled across the country and around the world connecting with the disenfranchised everywhere, while sparking a movement that would resonate with two generations of outcasts across the globe.

— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of outcast

Adjective

But in some ways, all those previous games were a drumroll leading up to this one — Super Bowl LXI, in a futuristic $5-billion stadium, absent the lingering restrictions of a pandemic.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
One notable administration figure has been largely absent from the political circuit.

— James A. Downs, The Washington Examiner, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of absent

Noun

Hsu maps a Los Angeles of leftovers and castoffs; portraits of friends and strangers in the street are full of dazed, inscrutable expressions.

— Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Veteran Sam Okuayinonu figures to start at one spot, but a trade acquisition or a castoff veteran could, too.

— Cam Inman, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of castoff

Adjective

Security teams need to understand how models behave, how connected tools can be abused and how output can become action through permissions, workflow automation or misplaced trust.

— Jay Bavisi, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026
This is a period of deep anxiety across the medical research community about the future of federal funding, and that anxiety is not misplaced — significant cuts to diabetes research funding have been proposed in recent budget cycles.

— Charles "Chuck" Henderson, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of misplaced

Noun

The best part of the movie is Murray Bartlett’s wise leper, a man who for the vast majority of his screen time is covered head to toe.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 June 2026
Robin also strikes up a friendship with a soulful, philosophical leper (Murray Bartlett, covered in wrappings from head to toe), who somehow recognizes his good qualities.

— Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2026

Definition of leper

Adjective

Rescuers have been working for days to find any survivors from the catastrophic flash floods which tore through the country last week, leaving at least 1,000 dead and thousands more missing.

— Kosh Raj Koirala, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026
While Barrett suggests a whole world of lore that goes unexplored, the film’s climax is completely missing in action.

— Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026