1
as in to radiate
to throw or give off
spermaceti candles, made from whale oil, are known to cast an exceptionally bright light
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Relevance
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2
as in to aim
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal
cast her eyes skyward for signs of the rescue plane
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3
as in to prepare
to put (something) into proper and usually carefully worked out written form
carefully cast the letter of complaint as politely as possible
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4
as in to throw
to send through the air especially with a quick forward motion of the arm
cast a rock into the stream
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1
as in prediction
a declaration that something will happen in the future
stock market analysts offered an optimistic cast for the coming year
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2
as in shade
a property that becomes apparent when light falls on an object and by which things that are identical in form can be distinguished
the walls had a slight yellowish cast
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3
4
as in look
facial appearance regarded as an indication of mood or feeling
his face took on a somewhat sad cast when we asked how his ill wife was faring
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5
as in shape
the outward appearance of something as distinguished from its substance
the lovely cast of the baby's features
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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 to add
to combine (numbers) into a single sum
had worked as a clerk in a countinghouse, mainly casting up long columns of figures every day
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as in discarded
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of cast
James Factora, Them, 18 Dec. 2024
The rapper hasn’t been listed in any casting announcements and hasn’t commented on the upcoming film.
—Kelsie Gibson, People.com, 18 Dec. 2024
Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2024
The cast also includes Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand, Danny Huston, and CCH Pounder, among others.
—Ben Rosenstock, TIME, 19 Dec. 2024
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 13 June 2024
The younger man even wears his boss’s cast-off clothing, as a son might his dad’s.
—Rumaan Alam, New York Times, 21 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for cast 
Verb
The internet is already in flames over the retro casting decision.
—James Factora, Them, 18 Dec. 2024
The rapper hasn’t been listed in any casting announcements and hasn’t commented on the upcoming film.
—Kelsie Gibson, People.com, 18 Dec. 2024
Noun
The downtown-superstar cast comprised the funniest lineup of friars possible—Ugo Chukwu, David Greenspan, Crystal Finn, etc.—but there was also a secret seriousness to this comedy, which spoke to the pain and necessity of schism.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2024
The cast also includes Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand, Danny Huston, and CCH Pounder, among others.
—Ben Rosenstock, TIME, 19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
The Knicks have been linked to Brogdon, a veteran point guard with playoff experience who was cast-off in from the Boston Celtics as part of the Jrue Holiday trade.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 13 June 2024
The younger man even wears his boss’s cast-off clothing, as a son might his dad’s.
—Rumaan Alam, New York Times, 21 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for cast
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Cite this Entry
“Cast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cast. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
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