Synonyms

recast

American

[ree-kast, -kahst, ree-kast, -kahst] / riˈkæst, -ˈkɑst, ˈriˌkæst, -ˌkɑst /

verb (used with object)

recast, recasting

to cast again or anew.
to form, fashion, or arrange again.
to remodel or reconstruct (a literary work, document, sentence, etc.).
to supply (a theater or opera work) with a new cast.

noun

a recasting.
a new form produced by recasting.

recast British

/ riːˈkɑːst /

verb

(often foll by as) to give (someone or something) a new role, function, or character

recast themselves as moderate and kind
(often foll by as) to cast (an actor or actress) again or in a different part
to cast new actors or actresses for a production of (a play, film, etc)

"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

recaster noun

Etymology

Origin of recast

First recorded in 1890–95; re- + cast

Explanation

"Let's start over." That's what someone might say when he or she needs to recast something, meaning "to make major changes that make something seem very different or even brand new." When you recast something, you aren’t just improving it slightly — something that is recast typically involves significant changes to the original. As it applies to actors' parts in a movie, television show, or play, to recast a part means finding a different actor to play it. When you recast a metal item, like a piece of jewelry, the item is melted down completely and then remade in a new form. When teachers get blank stares from students, they recast their questions to make them less confusing.

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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.

Bosses at HBO said writer Mike White was having a rethink, with the role being rewritten and recast.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

The role has subsequently been rethought, is being rewritten and will be recast in the coming weeks.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2026

Kitchens are stripped bare and routine grocery trips are recast as a Herculean effort to avoid plastic-laden products.

From Slate • Apr. 16, 2026

“A Good Day’s Work” sets out to recast Moses as more complicated than the cheerful, childlike images her name conjures and as a legitimizer of self-taught art.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

Quickly, he recast the story in his mind.

From "Native Son" by Richard Wright

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023