# cast aside

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cast-aside
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to get rid of something or someone because you no longer want or need them. You use this when you stop caring about something you used to value.

For teachers: To discard or reject something or someone as no longer useful or desirable. The verb is transitive and often appears in figurative contexts involving relationships or ideologies.

## Examples

- She cast aside her old clothes to make room for new ones.
- After he won the lottery, he cast aside his old friends and moved to a different city.
- The revolutionary government cast aside centuries of tradition in a single afternoon, replacing the monarchy with a radical new assembly.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He cast away his old shoes." but "He cast aside his old shoes." — 'Cast away' usually refers to being stranded or shipwrecked, while 'cast aside' means to discard something.

## Usage notes

- Often used with abstract nouns like 'doubts,' 'fears,' or 'traditions.'
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'throw away' (more literal/physical) and 'reject' (more formal); 'cast aside' often carries a sense of emotional coldness or suddenness.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.