cast off

get rid of something that used to control or limit you

C2

What does "cast sth off" mean?

To cast off something is to deliberately and decisively reject or discard something that once defined who you were or held you back — such as a set of beliefs, social expectations, a former identity, or deeply ingrained fears. The act carries a strong sense of conscious choice and finality; what is cast off is rarely taken back. This phrasal verb belongs firmly to formal, literary English and is at home in essays on personal transformation, philosophical reflection, historical analysis, and literary fiction. It conveys a dramatic, almost defiant quality that separates it from more neutral alternatives — there is weight and consequence to the act of casting something off. In everyday conversation, this phrasing would sound strikingly out of place; native speakers would instinctively reach for 'leave behind' or 'get rid of' instead.

Examples

How to use it

cast off + abstract noun

The most common structure, where the object is an abstract noun representing a psychological, social, or ideological constraint. The unseparated form is strongly preferred, especially with longer or multi-word noun phrases.

With her memoir, she cast off the silence that had surrounded her family's history for decades.

cast + short noun phrase + off

Separation is possible when the object is a single, short noun phrase, though even then the unseparated form often sounds more natural in literary writing.

It was only in her final years that she managed to cast her guilt off entirely.

cast off + possessive + noun

A very common pattern in which the object is a personal attribute or defining characteristic, emphasising that what is rejected once belonged intimately to the subject.

He spent years trying to cast off his inherited sense of unworthiness.

be cast off

The passive form is natural and frequently used in literary or analytical contexts when the focus falls on what is discarded rather than on who discards it.

The rigid conventions of the earlier period were eventually cast off as new artistic movements took hold.

modal + cast off + abstract noun

Infinitive constructions after modals or 'to-infinitives' are common, often expressing the desire, ability, or necessity of breaking free from something.

To truly move forward, one must cast off the assumptions that were never consciously chosen.

Common Collocations

cast off the shacklescast off conventionscast off the pastcast off fearcast off constraintscast off one's identity

Common Mistakes

Using it in casual or spoken contexts

This sense of 'cast off' belongs to formal, literary English and sounds unnatural — even comical — in everyday conversation. In informal speech, use 'leave behind', 'get rid of', or 'let go of' instead.

✗ I'm trying to cast off my bad habits before the new year.
✓ I'm trying to leave my bad habits behind before the new year. (Or, in a formal essay: She sought to cast off the ingrained habits of a lifetime.)
Confusing 'cast off' with 'throw off'

'Throw off' can also mean to confuse or mislead someone, so using the two interchangeably risks ambiguity. 'Cast off' in this sense is used exclusively for the deliberate, weighty rejection of something that once defined or constrained someone — it never means to confuse.

✗ The detective was cast off by the contradictory evidence.
✓ The detective was thrown off by the contradictory evidence. (But: The protagonist cast off the identity she had spent years constructing.)
Using the present continuous tense

Because 'cast off' in this sense describes a decisive, often momentous act directed at abstract objects, the present continuous sounds unnatural. Use the simple present for literary or habitual statements, or the simple past and present perfect for completed actions.

✗ She is casting off the expectations of her upbringing.
✓ She cast off the expectations of her upbringing. / She has finally cast off the expectations of her upbringing.

Usage

This phrasal verb belongs to formal, literary English and is most common in written analysis, literary fiction, and essays about transformation or liberation. It is not typical of British or American spoken English and would sound unnatural in informal contexts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'cast off' be used with concrete physical objects in this sense?

No — in this figurative sense, the object should always be something abstract, such as fear, guilt, conventions, or an identity. If you use a concrete physical object like a rope or stitches, most readers will interpret it as the nautical sense (untying a boat) or the knitting sense (finishing stitches), not the figurative one.

Is 'cast off' more common in British or American English?

This figurative sense appears in both British and American literary and formal writing without strong regional preference. It belongs to an elevated, pan-Anglophone written register rather than to either national variety in particular.

Does 'cast off' always imply a permanent rejection, or can it be temporary?

The connotation is strongly of something final and irreversible — the dramatic weight of the phrase implies a decisive break rather than a temporary set-aside. For something more tentative or reversible, a phrase like 'set aside' or 'move away from' would capture the nuance better.

Can I use a pronoun like 'it' or 'them' as the object?

Grammatically, yes, but it tends to sound slightly odd in this figurative sense because the objects are usually abstract concepts that benefit from being named in full. Pronouns are more common with the nautical and knitting senses. In formal or literary writing, it is usually more effective to restate or summarise the abstract concept explicitly.

Does 'cast off' mean something has already been fully discarded, or can it describe an ongoing process?

It describes the act of discarding rather than a continuing state, and it implies the action is complete and deliberate. The simple past and present perfect are the most natural tenses for this reason. To describe an ongoing struggle to free oneself from something, a phrase like 'working to break free from' would be more appropriate.

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