cast aside

get rid of someone or something that was once important or useful

C2

What does "cast sb/sth aside" mean?

To cast aside something or someone is to reject or abandon them decisively, typically after they were once valued, trusted, or considered important. The phrase carries a strong moral undertone: the person or institution doing the casting aside is often implicitly criticised for discarding something that deserved to be upheld. It collocates especially strongly with abstract nouns — principles, loyalty, caution, tradition — and with people who were once relied upon as allies or friends. Unlike neutral equivalents, 'cast aside' implies a certain callousness or betrayal, making it a natural choice in political rhetoric, journalism, and literary prose when the writer wants to convey moral reproach. Because of this formal and emotive quality, it sounds stilted in casual conversation, where 'ditch' or 'throw away' would feel far more natural.

Examples

How to use it

subject + cast + object + aside

The most common active construction, especially with short noun phrases or pronouns placed between the verb and particle.

The committee cast its founding principles aside without a moment's hesitation.

subject + cast + pronoun + aside

Pronouns must appear between the verb and particle — they cannot follow 'aside'.

He had trusted her for years, but she cast him aside the moment a better opportunity appeared.

object + be + cast aside (+ by + agent)

The passive is extremely natural and often appears without naming the agent, placing emphasis on what or who was abandoned.

Decades of careful environmental policy were cast aside in a single legislative session.

cast aside + long noun phrase

When the object is a longer noun phrase, it typically follows the particle unseparated.

The party had cast aside every promise it had made to voters during the campaign.

infinitive: to cast aside + object

Used after verbs like 'decide', 'refuse', 'be willing', or in purpose clauses, to frame the rejection as a deliberate choice.

To cast aside decades of diplomatic progress so abruptly seemed reckless to many observers.

Common Collocations

cast aside principlescast aside doubtscast aside cautioncast aside traditioncast aside an allycast aside years of work

Common Mistakes

Confusing 'cast aside' with 'set aside'

'Set aside' means to save or reserve something temporarily — for example, setting aside time or money for a purpose. 'Cast aside' means to permanently reject or abandon something once valued. Using them interchangeably changes the meaning significantly.

✗ The team set aside their old methodology after it repeatedly failed to produce results.
✓ The team cast aside their old methodology after it repeatedly failed to produce results.
Using 'cast aside' in informal or everyday contexts

'Cast aside' is formal and literary, and sounds unnatural in casual conversation. In informal speech, 'ditch', 'drop', or 'throw away' are far more appropriate.

✗ I cast aside my old headphones and got some new ones.
✓ I ditched my old headphones and got some new ones.
Placing a pronoun after the particle

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'cast' and 'aside', not after 'aside'.

✗ She cast aside him the moment the project ended.
✓ She cast him aside the moment the project ended.

Usage

This phrasal verb is formal and literary — it sounds natural in writing, speeches, and journalism, but awkward in everyday conversation. It is used globally in formal English with no significant BrE/AmE variation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'cast aside' be used in the passive voice?

Yes — the passive is actually the most common form of this phrasal verb. It works especially well when you want to focus on the thing or person being abandoned rather than on who did the abandoning. You can include an agent ('were cast aside by the leadership') or, very commonly, leave it out entirely ('were cast aside without explanation').

Does 'cast aside' always imply criticism of the person doing it?

Almost always, yes. The phrase carries an implicit suggestion that whatever was cast aside deserved to be maintained, respected, or honoured. This is what gives it its rhetorical force in political and journalistic writing. If you simply want to say something was discarded without any moral judgement, a neutral word like 'abandon' or 'drop' would be more appropriate.

Can 'cast aside' be used in the present simple or present continuous?

These tenses feel unnatural with this phrasal verb. 'Cast aside' typically describes a significant, completed act of abandonment, so it appears most naturally in the past simple, past perfect, or passive. Saying 'she is casting aside her values' or 'he casts aside warnings regularly' sounds awkward and goes against how the phrase is actually used.

What kinds of things can typically be 'cast aside'?

The phrase collocates most naturally with abstract nouns that carry moral or social weight — things like principles, loyalty, caution, tradition, values, and warnings. It can also refer to people, particularly allies, friends, or colleagues who were once trusted. It is far less natural with concrete physical objects, where 'throw away' or 'discard' would be more idiomatic.

Is 'cast aside' used differently in British and American English?

No — this is one of those formal, literary phrasal verbs that is used consistently across all major varieties of English. You will encounter it equally in British journalism, American political speeches, and international academic writing, always with the same meaning and register.

Related Phrasal Verbs

brush sth aside

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