as in pariahs
one who is cast out or rejected by society
the professor is something of an outcast in the halls of academe now that his former support of a dictatorial regime has become public
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Recent Examples of outcasts
Sam has teamed up with a pair of sibling vampire hunters known as the Frog Brothers (Miguel Gil and Jennifer Duka), and together these outcasts band together to take on the bad guys.
—
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
It’s based on the dramatic and emotionally wrenching personal life of Southern Gothic author Carson McCullers, a physically frail but powerful novelist, adept at portraying the loneliness and isolation of misfits and outcasts.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
His interest in Tess appears to be setting up a future alliance of disgruntled outcasts.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2026
California Avenue is Blick’s new series about a family of outcasts and For All Mankind spin-off Star City is about the Soviet space programme, with Rhys Ifans, Anna Maxwell Martin and Agnes O’Casey starring.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2026
In the world of the film, reptiles—but especially snakes—are outcasts from mammal-centric society.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 15 Mar. 2026
Kiedis and Flea trace their own journeys as outcasts and Los Angeles transplants to Fairfax High School and their initial meeting with Slovak, who was far cooler and more confident than either of them.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 15 Mar. 2026
There are no varsity quarterbacks or Olympic hopefuls among these quirkmasters, just a heaping of outcasts who believe their lot in life rests on words like capybara and tittup.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
If 12-step groups are the place for misfits and outcasts to find each other, then the Yellow Balloon folk and the Dopes of Dopey Nation are the fringe of the fringe — the misfits of the misfits, the outcasts of the outcasts.
—David Manheim, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2026
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
It’s based on the dramatic and emotionally wrenching personal life of Southern Gothic author Carson McCullers, a physically frail but powerful novelist, adept at portraying the loneliness and isolation of misfits and outcasts.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
His interest in Tess appears to be setting up a future alliance of disgruntled outcasts.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2026
California Avenue is Blick’s new series about a family of outcasts and For All Mankind spin-off Star City is about the Soviet space programme, with Rhys Ifans, Anna Maxwell Martin and Agnes O’Casey starring.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2026
In the world of the film, reptiles—but especially snakes—are outcasts from mammal-centric society.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 15 Mar. 2026
Kiedis and Flea trace their own journeys as outcasts and Los Angeles transplants to Fairfax High School and their initial meeting with Slovak, who was far cooler and more confident than either of them.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 15 Mar. 2026
There are no varsity quarterbacks or Olympic hopefuls among these quirkmasters, just a heaping of outcasts who believe their lot in life rests on words like capybara and tittup.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
If 12-step groups are the place for misfits and outcasts to find each other, then the Yellow Balloon folk and the Dopes of Dopey Nation are the fringe of the fringe — the misfits of the misfits, the outcasts of the outcasts.
—David Manheim, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outcasts
Noun
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These factors have turned the Ellisons into Murdoch-like pariahs among many Democrats, and have brought together a somewhat ideologically diverse antitrust coalition, ranging from the more centrist wing of the Democratic Party to the progressive left.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Traditionally, scientists and doctors who have questioned vaccine safety, and even the benefits of vaccines, have quickly become pariahs.—
Will Carless,
USA Today,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Remember, the Lord Jesus did not fear lepers, and leprosy was (and continues to be) a highly contagious infectious disease.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The town serves as the backdrop for what many surrounding the production consider the creative high point of the season — an episode 5 spaghetti western side mission that involves lepers, eye-gauging vultures, and a train pulled by zombies.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Today, there are hundreds of rejects packed in wood cabinets and cardboard boxes.—
Steve Hartman,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 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
Noun
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Other castaways struggled with how to present themselves on screen while playing this game of cons and elimination.—
Shaan Merchant,
Rolling Stone,
20 May 2026
-
One guy simply voted for his fellow castaways in alphabetical order.—
Julie Beck,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
The failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, launched by Cuban exiles with CIA backing, became both a defining trauma and a lasting symbol of unfinished struggle.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
-
Castro, who served as defense minister in the 1990s, was charged with ordering the 1996 downing of two planes over Cuban territory flown by members of Brothers to the Rescue, a group of Florida exiles opposed to the Castro regime.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outcasts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outcasts. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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