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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Example Sentences
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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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These classes won’t be part of the master’s program, though.—
Claire Rafford,
IndyStar,
9 Feb. 2026
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Colt Gray had enrolled at the school on August 14 and had already missed nine days of classes leading up to the shooting, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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While standard chemical leaching (without microbes) performed worse in microgravity than on Earth, the microbes maintained consistent extraction levels regardless of gravity.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Feb. 2026
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Net migration to the UK reached record levels in 2022, swelled by the war in Ukraine and the post-pandemic lifting of travel restrictions, but has since dropped off sharply.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
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These latest files show the range and depth of Epstein's extraordinary reach into the upper echelons of society.—
Diana Paulsen,
ABC News,
6 Feb. 2026
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That’s a not-inconsequential $24,000 a year, vaulting Orange Unified’s members into the upper echelons of school board compensation in Orange County.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The files have created some genuine issues for news organizations, whose ranks are filled with individuals with whom Epstein hoped to forge personal connections.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
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But as their robotic ranks swell, there have been an increasing number of incidents pitting man against machine, from sidewalk standoffs and traffic jams to a handful of collisions.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Castes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/castes. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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