noun
-
a person who has been shipwrecked
-
something thrown off or away; castoff
adjective
-
shipwrecked or put adrift
-
thrown away or rejected
verb
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of castaway
First recorded in 1520–30; noun, adj. use of verb phrase cast away
Explanation
A castaway is someone who's stranded on shore, often after surviving a shipwreck. A sailor who swims to a small island after a terrible storm can call herself a castaway. A castaway is more likely to be a character in a book than a real person, although occasionally a survivor has found him or herself washed up on an island. Some theories about what happened to the pilot Amelia Earhart after her disappearance include the idea that she was a castaway on some Pacific island. In the 15th century, a castaway was "one who is rejected." The deserted island survivor meaning came along in the late 1700s.
Vocabulary lists containing castaway
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for April 13–April 19, 2024
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Beyond the Bright Sea
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The Seahawks were paced by a brilliant performance by quarterback Sam Darnold, a Jets castaway who rebuilt himself in Minnesota before landing in Seattle this past offseason.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 26, 2026
Elmhirst, a journalist, came across the Baileys on a website dedicated to castaway stories, and set about researching their journey using Maralyn's diary and books Maurice published after their rescue.
From BBC ● Mar. 5, 2025
Villain vs. victim in some folks’ minds, but at the very least — survivor vs. castaway.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 16, 2023
Six wasn’t only small for a Lab; he has a leaky heart valve, lowering his value and turning him into a castaway.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2023
As a kind of castaway myself, I was happy to escape into the fictional world of someone else’s trouble.
From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler
Smart castaways might establish startups that end up competing with the big tech companies, a headache a large workforce helps protect against.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 27, 2026
The Times was soon writing about a new breed of homeless in L.A.: economic castaways who had lost jobs in the recession.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2025
The coastguard said a French Navy Dauphin helicopter was monitoring the area where the boat sank "to confirm the successful recovery of all the castaways".
From BBC ● Feb. 15, 2025
In some cases, people are just set off on their own to a deserted island to cosplay as castaways.
From Slate ● Oct. 27, 2024
Sørlle gaped in astonishment at the three ragged castaways, and then turned his head away and wept.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
