1
as in to grab
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
we tried to catch the kitten before she could sneak out the door
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to get
to become affected with (a disease or disorder)
you'll catch the flu for sure if you don't get a shot
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3
as in to stop
to bring (something) to a standstill
I caught myself just as I was about to step into the freshly poured concrete
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4
as in to secure
to put securely in place or in a desired position
caught back her hair with a barrette
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5
as in to know
to have a clear idea of
I didn't catch the point you were making about our nation's foreign policy
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6
as in to trick
to cause to believe what is untrue
a number of media outlets were caught by the woman's hard-luck story
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7
as in to encounter
to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face
I'll catch you at the library tomorrow
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8
as in to notice
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
I looked out the window just in time to catch the neighbor's dog digging up my flower bed
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9
as in to chase
to move fast enough to get even with
despite the suspect's considerable lead, the fleet-footed police officer was able to catch him and make an arrest
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1
as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized
the catch is that you have to come up with the money by tomorrow
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2
as in prize
someone or something unusually desirable
everyone thought the captain of the football team was a real catch
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3
as in haul
the total amount collected or obtained especially at one time
the total catch for our day at the creek was six fish and a crab
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of catch
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
29 June 2026
No catch-all dishes, served on individual plates.
—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
22 June 2026
With a 27-yard catch-and-run, Freeman scored the first touchdown in the Packers' 23-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game.
—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for catch
Verb
Collin Morikawa birdied 18 to catch Scheffler and ducked into the clubhouse at 20 under as the rains descended upon the TPC River Highlands.
—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
29 June 2026
No catch-all dishes, served on individual plates.
—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
Noun
Valerie had been enjoying yet another comeback role on a new sitcom — the big catch being that it was written entirely by AI — and was set to join a press conference announcing the season two pickup.
—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
22 June 2026
With a 27-yard catch-and-run, Freeman scored the first touchdown in the Packers' 23-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game.
—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for catch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch
Verb
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Video of the incident showed the professor grabbing and twisting the arm of the pro-Palestinian student.
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As police tried to handcuff Sever, the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office said Sever swung at troopers and forcefully grabbed at a trooper's duty weapon, which was secured in a holster.
Verb
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One thing everyone agrees on, though, is that airfare is likely to keep getting more expensive.
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And the research proves that this type of bias is only getting worse.
Verb
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When there was a pause in the action, referee Raphael Claus stopped the match to look at VAR to determine whether Balogun committed a foul worthy of a red card.
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Making new friends isn’t something that has to stop at a certain point in your life.
Verb
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Chapman allowed back-to-back singles after his milestone strikeout, but got Jo Adell to ground into a double play to secure his 17th save.
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Chapman gave up back-to-back singles after his milestone strikeout, but got Jo Adell to ground into a double play to secure his 17th save.
Verb
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Cape Verde 40-year-old goalkeeper Josimar Jose Evora Dias, also known as Vozinha, became a fan favorite along the way.
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Sometimes there is a fine line between being a hero or a bum, but Dave has been able to negotiate that line, because players trust him, and the players know that Dave cares about them and their families.
Verb
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Ricky Saints tricked the referee into thinking Lil Yachty used the kendo stick on him, and after traveling all the way to Riyadh, Yachty was tossed out just minutes into the match.
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Use a password manager so fake sites do not trick you into reusing passwords.
Verb
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Each has plays — like a slow-roller up the third base line that requires a quick throw across the diamond — that no other position will encounter.
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The first time former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice encountered Kevin Warsh was in the 1980s.
Verb
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Court documents say witnesses noticed Lopez acting strangely before the attack.
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Soon though, Shawna noticed some of Zaayer's strange behaviors — including scolding her grandson, getting upset over cleaning habits and allegedly showing them racist videos.
Cite this Entry
“Catch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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