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Synonyms

casting

American  
[kas-ting, kah-sting] / ˈkæs tɪŋ, ˈkɑ stɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act or process of a person or thing that casts.

  2. something cast; any article that has been cast in a mold.

  3. the act or process of choosing actors to play the various roles in a theatrical production, motion picture, etc.

  4. the act or skill of throwing a fishing line out over the water by means of a rod and reel.

    I'll have to improve my casting if I'm ever going to learn to fish well.

  5. Zoology. cast.

casting British  
/ ˈkɑːstɪŋ /

noun

  1. an object or figure that has been cast, esp in metal from a mould

  2. the process of transferring molten steel to a mould

  3. the choosing of actors for a production

  4. hunting the act of directing a pack of hounds over ground where their quarry may recently have passed so that they can quest for, discover, or recapture its scent

  5. zoology another word for cast pellet

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • multicasting noun

Etymology

Origin of casting

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; cast, -ing 1

Vocabulary lists containing casting

Theater - Introductory

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Theater - Middle School

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Theater - High School

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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.

But the magic lies in the embellishment, starting with the casting.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Asked whether Swinton could be cast, Bloys said people should not believe any rumours and claimed: "I don't even know who we're casting."

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Over the years, Ortiz had developed a relationship with casting director Jeanne McCarthy, who often invited him to audition for acting jobs.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Pope Leo XIV is set to mark Easter Sunday for the first time as pontiff, with the Middle East war casting a pall over the most important date in the Christian calendar.

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

The bottle tree glinted in the morning light, casting shadows on her quilt.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

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.