cast-iron

1 of 2

adjective

1
: made of cast iron
2
: resembling cast iron: such as
a
: capable of withstanding great strain
a cast-iron stomach
b
: not admitting change, adaptation, or exception : rigid
a cast-iron will
c
British : not likely to fail or be broken : airtight
"Clever idea, Black, getting yourself seen on a safe station platform … gave you a cast-iron excuse not to leave your hidey-hole in future, didn't it?"J. K. Rowling

cast iron

2 of 2

noun

: a commercial alloy of iron, carbon, and silicon that is cast in a mold and is hard, brittle, nonmalleable, and incapable of being hammer-welded but more easily fusible than steel

Examples of cast-iron in a Sentence

Adjective lost weight only after a cast-iron adherence to his diet he has a cast-iron faith in his innate ability to overcome any adversity that life might throw against him Noun The fence is made of cast iron.
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.
Adjective
Cover the top of the potato cake with parchment and weight it down with a large heavy cast-iron skillet or other ovenproof pan. Nicole Hvidsten, Boston Herald, 16 Apr. 2025 Place a cast-iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2025
Noun
Vintage glassware, cast iron skillets, wooden utensils, vintage Pyrex, or ceramic dishware can all be prime finds. Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2025 The victim pushed Gayle, who’s then accused of grabbing a cast iron pan off a shelf and swinging it at the woman. Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cast-iron

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1692, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1664, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cast-iron was in 1664

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cast-iron.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cast-iron. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

cast iron

noun
: a hard brittle alloy of iron, carbon, and silicon shaped by being poured into a mold while melted
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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