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
ABC News, 13 May 2026
While schools have focused on catching kids up since the COVID-19 pandemic upended education, reading test scores have been falling since 2013 for eighth graders and 2015 for fourth graders, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
—CBS News, 13 May 2026
Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
The catch is that those tools have to be applied to real decisions, not hypothetical ones.
—Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for catch
Verb
While schools have focused on catching kids up since the COVID-19 pandemic upended education, reading test scores have been falling since 2013 for eighth graders and 2015 for fourth graders, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
—ABC News, 13 May 2026
While schools have focused on catching kids up since the COVID-19 pandemic upended education, reading test scores have been falling since 2013 for eighth graders and 2015 for fourth graders, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
—CBS News, 13 May 2026
Noun
Then practice started, and his acrobatic catches began.
—Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
The catch is that those tools have to be applied to real decisions, not hypothetical ones.
—Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for catch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch
Verb
-
Denise ascended the stairs, yelling at Djena all the way up, then grabbed Djena by the collar and began hitting her.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
To make one, grab a clean, thick sock (preferably a larger one) and fill it with uncooked rice, oats, or flaxseed.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The area North Cornwall has plenty of fancy restaurants, but Prawn on the Lawn in Padstow gets the balance right between sophisticated seafood and laidback service.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
-
Cameron Brink’s 10 points were the only ones provided by the Sparks’ bench, while the Tempo got 42 points from reserves.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
The flotilla boats were stopped around 90-100 miles from the Gaza coastline, according to the flotilla's website tracker.—
May 19,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
-
Those unable to swim two lengths of the pool without stopping should have a parent remain close enough to reach them.—
Laura Berrios,
AJC.com,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
However, that 84th-minute goal from Savinho, securing a 3-0 victory, meant a precious spot-on prediction for six-year-old Wilfred instead, taking our boy-wonder to within three.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
Through a barrage of advertising and on-campus information sessions, investment banking sold itself as the most attractive, lucrative, and secure job for top students.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Did either network know Krakowski was double dipping?—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
15 May 2026
-
Sark knows the Texas football team isn't there for academics, or at least, the starters.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Anchoring, scarcity and choice architecture aren’t about tricking people.—
David Meade,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
-
The church hosts sure love tricking us into eating raw broccoli by serving it up in this creamy pasta salad.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Chelsea’s squad demographic falls somewhere in between but is probably closer to the former than the latter, and a football legend with his resume should not encounter the authority problems faced by owner BlueCo’s previous hires.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Their deaths were not inevitable — they were exposed to, and in many cases were pushed harmful content online, the kind any child could encounter.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
In an inversion of the more common critical reception of an emerging artist, this new writer’s poetry was often noticed but seldom admired, notwithstanding the Daily Mirror’s snide enthusiasm.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
The biggest change many Coloradans will notice is the temperature.—
Callie Zanandrie,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Catch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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