cast about for
phrasal verb.phrasal verb. to look around quickly or desperately for something you need, like an idea, an excuse, or a physical object.
phrasal verb. to search frantically or widely for something, often an intangible resource such as an explanation, a solution, or a justification.
He cast about for an excuse to leave the boring meeting.
When the interviewer asked a difficult question, the candidate cast about for the right words to respond.
As the company's stock price plummeted, the executive board cast about for a strategy that might restore investor confidence before the quarterly report.
often used with abstract nouns like 'reasons', 'excuses', or 'support'.
the verb 'cast' comes from fishing or hunting contexts; imagine a fisherman throwing a line in different directions to find a fish.
He casted about for his keys.He cast about for his keys.the past tense of 'cast' is 'cast', not 'casted'.
Last updated April 24, 2026