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)
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
The series, based on novels by Mick Herron, follows a band of castoffs from the British national security service who are relegated to a ramshackle office building, with Lamb at its head.
—Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 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
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
The series, based on novels by Mick Herron, follows a band of castoffs from the British national security service who are relegated to a ramshackle office building, with Lamb at its head.
—Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 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
-
Pittsburgh is preparing for a significant winter storm that's expected to dump inches of snow across the area this weekend.—
Madeline Bartos,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Primaloft Black Eco insulation kept me toasty on 15-degree lift rides at Bolton Valley Ski Resort, while extra-long flank zips are great for dumping heat on the way down.—
Benjamin Tepler,
Outside,
23 Jan. 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
-
The fawner depends on others to prop up her self-image; the unfawner knows when to discard them entirely.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Certain dents and signs are clear red flags, signaling you should immediately discard the can to avoid the risk of foodborne illness.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The show, which ran for three seasons from 1964 to 1967, centered around seven castaways who have to survive after getting shipwrecked on an uncharted island.—
Daysia Tolentino,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Dec. 2025
-
Both she and her ally, Velovic, were named as the final two castaways among the returning 24 stars.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Margot Robbie has ditched the hot pink Barbie Land in favor of the windswept moors of Wuthering Heights, and her hair has too!—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
27 Jan. 2026
-
No one questions when men do what Jaime did, ditching their families (in this case, MVP Megan Mullaly as her well-mannered mom, Layanne, and Jeff Perry as her more oblivious dad) to go off and make a career for themselves.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
As previously revealed in Deadline’s 2026 Films to Light Up Festivals list, Chadian director Haroun’s new film follows a woman troubled by haunting visions whose friendship with a female outcast stirs up trouble in their village.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Colman plays as a fisherwoman, her village’s outcast, who asks a basketmaker to weave her a husband (Skarsgård).—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Jan. 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 30 Jan. 2026.
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