as in classes
one of the segments of society into which people are grouped
a member of the upper caste
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 castes
Today, many non-Hindus in India, including Muslims, Christians, Jains and Buddhists, also identify with certain castes.
—
Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
The term was then extended to include multiple groups outside the upper castes.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
So, there’s no political parties, there’s no races, and there’s no religions, but there are these two groups that are almost like castes.
—Literary Hub, 13 Nov. 2025
The Ramayana has hundreds of versions — across states, dialects, castes.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
India’s privileged castes hold a disproportionate share of its wealth.
—The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Apr. 2025
If found guilty, these men could face harsher punishments under Indian laws designed to protect disadvantaged castes.
—Esha Mitra, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
Civil confrontations invariably cross classes and castes, bringing together people from radically different social cohorts while separating seemingly natural allies.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024
They were designed to help the backward castes under the untouchables and so forth, and then expanded to some other groups.
—Ananya Vajpeyi, Foreign Affairs, 27 Jan. 2016
Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
The term was then extended to include multiple groups outside the upper castes.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
So, there’s no political parties, there’s no races, and there’s no religions, but there are these two groups that are almost like castes.
—Literary Hub, 13 Nov. 2025
The Ramayana has hundreds of versions — across states, dialects, castes.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
India’s privileged castes hold a disproportionate share of its wealth.
—The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Apr. 2025
If found guilty, these men could face harsher punishments under Indian laws designed to protect disadvantaged castes.
—Esha Mitra, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
Civil confrontations invariably cross classes and castes, bringing together people from radically different social cohorts while separating seemingly natural allies.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024
They were designed to help the backward castes under the untouchables and so forth, and then expanded to some other groups.
—Ananya Vajpeyi, Foreign Affairs, 27 Jan. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for castes
Noun
-
What’s changed is that the top students from Los Angeles and Chicago and Atlanta and Buffalo are now applying to the same schools, where the size of the freshman classes have barely budged since the ’70s.—
Jeffrey Selingo,
The Atlantic,
12 Apr. 2026
-
More than 280 people responded, sharing stories like their difficulties in finding child care or challenges in scheduling classes that accommodate single parents and work schedules, said Evan Kravitz, director of the college’s Career Success Center.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Some groundwater monitoring wells detected contamination levels higher than at any point since 1991, which the county believes may be due to a new leak.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The animations show levels of sophistication and internet access that indicate ties to government offices, said Mahsa Alimardani, a director of WITNESS, a human-rights group working on AI video evidence.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Khosla himself has endorsed the idea of a national wealth fund, and the symmetry between his individual advocacy and OpenAI’s institutional proposal suggests that a policy framework is crystallizing within the AI industry’s upper echelons.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Instead, more households are climbing into the echelons of the upper middle class due to income gains in recent decades, according to research from the nonpartisan American Enterprise Institute.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The roads of New Orleans are cluttered with serried ranks of billboards touting the services of personal-injury lawyers.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Despite that effort, Angier dies, but a new clone is added to his ranks.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Castes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/castes. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
