CAST Synonyms: 251 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'cast' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of cast are fling , hurl , pitch , sling , throw , and toss . While all these words mean "to cause to move swiftly through space by a propulsive movement or a propelling force," cast usually implies lightness in the thing thrown and sometimes a scattering. // cast it to the winds

Q: When might 'fling' be a better fit than 'cast'?

While in some cases nearly identical to cast , fling stresses a violent throwing. // flung the ring back in his face

Q: When can 'hurl' be used instead of 'cast'?

The words hurl and cast are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hurl implies power as in throwing a massive weight. // hurled himself at the intruder

Q: When would 'pitch' be a good substitute for 'cast'?

The words pitch and cast can be used in similar contexts, but pitch suggests throwing carefully at a target. // pitch horseshoes

Q: Where would 'sling' be a reasonable alternative to 'cast'?

Although the words sling and cast have much in common, sling stresses either the use of whirling momentum in throwing or directness of aim. // slung the bag over his shoulder

Q: When is it sensible to use 'throw' instead of 'cast'?

The meanings of throw and cast largely overlap; however, throw is general and interchangeable with the other terms but may specifically imply a distinctive motion with bent arm. // can throw a fastball and a curve

Q: In what contexts can 'toss' take the place of 'cast'?

While the synonyms toss and cast are close in meaning, toss suggests a light or careless or aimless throwing and may imply an upward motion. // tossed the coat on the bed

cast 1 of 2

verb

ˈkast

Definition of cast

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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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cast

2 of 2

noun

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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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

achromatism

as in glance

an instance of looking especially briefly a mischievous cast in his eye when we asked what our destination would be

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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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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word cast distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of cast are fling, hurl, pitch, sling, throw, and toss. While all these words mean "to cause to move swiftly through space by a propulsive movement or a propelling force," cast usually implies lightness in the thing thrown and sometimes a scattering.

cast it to the winds

When might fling be a better fit than cast?

While in some cases nearly identical to cast, fling stresses a violent throwing.

flung the ring back in his face

When can hurl be used instead of cast?

The words hurl and cast are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hurl implies power as in throwing a massive weight.

hurled himself at the intruder

When would pitch be a good substitute for cast?

The words pitch and cast can be used in similar contexts, but pitch suggests throwing carefully at a target.

pitch horseshoes

Where would sling be a reasonable alternative to cast?

Although the words sling and cast have much in common, sling stresses either the use of whirling momentum in throwing or directness of aim.

slung the bag over his shoulder

When is it sensible to use throw instead of cast?

The meanings of throw and cast largely overlap; however, throw is general and interchangeable with the other terms but may specifically imply a distinctive motion with bent arm.

can throw a fastball and a curve

In what contexts can toss take the place of cast?

While the synonyms toss and cast are close in meaning, toss suggests a light or careless or aimless throwing and may imply an upward motion.

tossed the coat on the bed

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 cast

Verb

One of the many clever strokes in Andrew O’Hagan’s 2024 novel Caledonian Road was casting his floundering, public intellectual hero as the author of a best-selling biography of Johannes Vermeer. — Susan Tallman, The New York Review of Books, 17 Oct. 2026 Conservative lawyer Michael Edney cast the move in a long line of other attempts to pare back statutes from that era. — Carrie Johnson, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026

Noun

Imagine the crew and the cast, like everybody, trying to throw in their last conversations or create that last impression. — Ronda Racha Penrice, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026 Reached again after the claims about Trejo became public, the worker remained skeptical that the principal cast could have been so uninformed. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cast

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cast

Verb

Some kids come into this life and catch all the breaks and start making money and going places and radiating confidence and functionality and the world opens right up to them.

— George Saunders, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
For plants rooted in the ground, cover them with frost cloths, blankets, or tarps to trap the heat radiating from the soil.

— Ahmad Bajjey, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of radiate

Verb

Russia's heavy bombardment of the power grid ahead of winter has been an annual feature of the war, aimed at wearing down Ukraine's appetite for the fight by denying civilians heat and running water.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
Marshall has consistently voted against Senate War Powers Resolutions aimed at halting or restricting military operations in Iran.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of aim

Verb

Commercial incentives persist Koh said shipping companies around the world have continued looking for opportunities to navigate the Strait since the conflict erupted, with some operators prepared to accept higher risks and costs.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
The creative team is currently developing the treatment and preparing to engage potential partners about the longer version.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of prepare

Verb

Young men from the village threw stones back, Khrzhanovskiy said.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
That sudden ascent, for a band spiritually in league with the Velvet Underground and Suicide, led some to wonder what exactly happened behind the social media scenes to get them there (one conspiratorial phrase got thrown around in particular).

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of throw

Noun

Here’s what to know Sports betting is banned in California, yet online prediction market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket let residents wager on professional game outcomes through a brokerage-style system.

— Scott Lebar. Story produced with AI assistance, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Chargers-Chiefs game prediction If not for the Chargers’ outrageous injury list, this would make for the perfect situation to pick a surprise Los Angeles win, or at the very least a cover.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of prediction

Noun

The concealer, which comes in 25 shades, goes on top to add a subtle glow that plays up the color of the eyes.

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 16 Oct. 2026
The nails apply just like traditional press-ons; to swap shades during wear, users simply select a hue in the app and insert the tip of each nail into an accompanying wand, which delivers a small charge of power to change colors.

— Nina Derwin, Time, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of shade

Noun

At a first glance, climate change, once touted as a key priority by the two most influential international financial institutions, has fallen off the agenda.

— Justin Worland, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
Flávio Bolsonaro, perched atop a sound truck at a recent campaign rally in Rio de Janeiro’s working-class suburbs, could at first glance be mistaken for his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently under house arrest.

— Constance Malleret, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of glance

Noun

This cutesy girl-next-door look helped to catapult Huntington-Whiteley from Teen Vogue favourite to Burberry face, bona fide lingerie designer, beauty entrepreneur and blockbuster movie star.

— Alice Newbold, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026
Designers are experimenting with different fits and fabrics to give the traditional jacket a more modern look.

— Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of look

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cast. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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