cast about

verb

cast about; casting about; casts about

intransitive verb

: to look around : seek
cast about for a seat

transitive verb

: to lay plans concerning : contrive
cast about how he was to go

Examples of cast about in a Sentence

cast about for an answer to the question of why so many people had ignored the victim's cries for help
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Kemp is a strong AHL player and has earned an NHL look, so his agent probably casts about looking for a team with a weak RH defence depth chart. Allan Mitchell, The Athletic, 17 Feb. 2025 President Trump’s aggressive moves against transgender rights and diversity, equity and inclusion programs have left the Democratic Party casting about for a strategy for how to respond. Shane Goldmacher, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2025 That has left Republicans casting about for ways to offset those costs. Catie Edmondson, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025 In the final, pathetic weeks of his failed presidency, Joe Biden has been casting about desperately for a positive legacy. Jack Butler, National Review, 12 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cast about

Word History

First Known Use

1575, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of cast about was in 1575

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Cite this Entry

“Cast about.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cast%20about. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

cast about

verb
: to look around here and there : seek
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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