discard 1 of 2

as in reject
something separated from a group or lot for not being as good as the others toss all of your discards in the garbage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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discard

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word discard different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of discard are cast, junk, scrap, shed, and slough. While all these words mean "to get rid of," discard implies the letting go or throwing away of something that has become useless or superfluous though often not intrinsically valueless.

discard old clothes

Where would cast be a reasonable alternative to discard?

The words cast and discard can be used in similar contexts, but cast, especially when used with off, away, or out, implies a forceful rejection or repudiation.

cast off her friends

How are the words scrap and junk related as synonyms of discard?

Both scrap and junk imply throwing away or breaking up as worthless in existent form.

scrap all the old ways
would junk our educational system

How do shed and slough relate to one another, in the sense of discard?

Shed and slough imply a throwing off of something both useless and encumbering and often suggest a consequent renewal of vitality or luster.

shed a bad habit
finally sloughed off the depression

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 discard
Noun
One distiller's discard can be another company's treasure. Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 14 July 2025 For a recent example, look at Trump’s discard of Elon Musk. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2025
Verb
It’s always talked about in terms of boys kind of being discarded, in terms of their mothers, and then finding a replacement. Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2025 Consumers should check use-by dates and return any affected items to the point of purchase or discard them. Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for discard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discard
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
Verb
  • Coach Joanne is dead set on turning things around this season despite having just been brutally dumped by her girlfriend and co-founder of the team.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Ross took over for Joe Maddon, who five years earlier replaced Rick Renteria in a prior example of the Cubs dumping a first-time manager for a more experienced, accomplished hand.
    Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • This bass species had the genes for a range of survival strategies before the culls started, Zarri says.
    Martin J. Kernan, Scientific American, 26 Sep. 2025
  • The trawling nets of commercial fisherman greedily cull all of the sea life in their path.
    Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The Dodgers have ditched that for a new cutter.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Their underground campaign ditched the standard teaser, trailer, poster and TV spots approach for a single cryptic billboard, a mysterious telephone number, and a trail of online breadcrumbs to entice fans to figure out the mystery of the film.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • According to videos, officers waited roughly 20 seconds before detaining people.
    Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The league will rely on its player tracking data, which uses pose data that incorporates 29 data points on a player’s body collected 60 times per second to gather their movements and positioning, to underline the endeavor.
    Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Firemen in their command center calm the fears of the locals who call in, law enforcement tracks down tomb robbers, while in the port of Torre Annunziata, Syrian tankers unload Ukrainian grain.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2025
  • As someone who worked his way up from unloading trucks in the warehouse to eventually landing in the C-suite, McMillon embodies how staying dedicated to one employer can work wonders for aspiring leaders—in contrast to job-hopping in search of potential pay gains.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Combining rigorous research and captivating narration, Kateryna Zarembo debunks common myths about the region, such as its long-standing gravitation towards Russia and its rejection of everything Ukrainian.
    Nelly Klos September 29, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Named after the island’s Indigenous name, Rapa Nui, the drug rapamycin was initially developed as an immunosuppressant to prevent organ transplant rejection and to improve the efficacy of stents to treat coronary artery disease.
    Ted Powers, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office's most recent analysis from June estimates 16 million Americans will lose their health care coverage by 2034 due to the cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.
    Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Many argue that Japan is at risk of losing its way of life, or that Japanese workers are being edged out of jobs.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Discard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discard. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

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