as in classes
one of the segments of society into which people are grouped
a member of the upper caste
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of castes
So, there’s no political parties, there’s no races, and there’s no religions, but there are these two groups that are almost like castes.
—
Literary Hub, 13 Nov. 2025
The Ramayana has hundreds of versions — across states, dialects, castes.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
If found guilty, these men could face harsher punishments under Indian laws designed to protect disadvantaged castes.
—Esha Mitra, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
Civil confrontations invariably cross classes and castes, bringing together people from radically different social cohorts while separating seemingly natural allies.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024
They were designed to help the backward castes under the untouchables and so forth, and then expanded to some other groups.
—Ananya Vajpeyi, Foreign Affairs, 27 Jan. 2016
Literary Hub, 13 Nov. 2025
The Ramayana has hundreds of versions — across states, dialects, castes.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
If found guilty, these men could face harsher punishments under Indian laws designed to protect disadvantaged castes.
—Esha Mitra, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
Civil confrontations invariably cross classes and castes, bringing together people from radically different social cohorts while separating seemingly natural allies.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024
They were designed to help the backward castes under the untouchables and so forth, and then expanded to some other groups.
—Ananya Vajpeyi, Foreign Affairs, 27 Jan. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for castes
Noun
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The Greek islands are peppered with glamorous summer resorts, with a couple of treatment rooms or yoga classes added on almost as an afterthought.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
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As a Brown undergraduate, the narrator took one of Thomas’s classes, which marked him indelibly.—
Giles Harvey,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Ames had her home tested after that, and those results confirmed the house had mold − with high enough levels in the air alone that experts told the Ames family to leave their home immediately.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
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The Committee for Better Banks, which is helping organize union efforts alongside the CWA, hopes the movement will one day expand to Charlotte as the union pushes for higher pay, staffing levels and benefits.—
Chase Jordan
April 2,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Years in the making At the center of the prosecution is a sweeping federal indictment that paints a stark picture of Venezuela’s upper echelons of power, alleging that for more than two decades the country’s leadership turned the machinery of the state into a vehicle for narcotics trafficking.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
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Since the war began, monitors estimate that up to a third of strikes have targeted the top echelons and major bases of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and its Basij volunteers tasked with enforcing loyalty to Iran’s theocratic rulers.—
Sarah el Deeb,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Ghalibaf came through the ranks of the guard himself and is believed to be among the inner circle of Mojtaba Khamenei, the ayatollah's son and successor.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
30 Mar. 2026
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Johnson’s legacy includes his son Bret and Rob Johnson, who were standout quarterbacks at El Toro and played in the college and professional ranks.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Castes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/castes. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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