variants
or catch-22s
1
as in risks
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized
the drug lowers cholesterol, but the catch-22 is that it mainly lowers good cholesterol
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in dilemmas
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape
the catch-22 faced by every first-time loan applicant: how to get a loan without a credit history
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in problems
a situation in which one has to choose between two or more equally unsatisfactory choices
an environmental catch-22: building wind farms results in scenic eyesores; not building wind farms results in greater pollution from fossil fuels
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch-22's
Noun
-
Handling sick or dead wild birds can spread the virus and pose risks to people, pets, and domestic flocks.—
Bryan Hendricks,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026 -
Experts say people should know their rights but caution that exercising them can come with risks, and people need to balance First Amendment freedoms with their own safety.—
Kristen Taketa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Instead of adding more junk to your drawers, these clever gadgets actually solve kitchen dilemmas we’re all faced with.—
Melanie Fincher,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
-
My book belongs to ongoing discussions that live in and outlive literary dilemmas.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But her journey hasn’t been without a few hitches.—
Aaron Tolentino,
New York Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The draft horse shows this week during the stock show’s 120th anniversary will include 15 six-horse hitches, or six horses pulling a wagon.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Winning from behind is not sustainable, and the predicaments in which Chelsea have found themselves this week point to other problems.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Rustin has slyly given her script a focus on women’s needs and feelings, a welcome departure for a genre that usually is more concerned about the men’s predicaments.—
Matthew J. Palm,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
By 1999, the use, production and transport of antipersonnel land mines had been banned globally.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Russia has used land mines in its invasion of Ukraine, and in July accused Ukraine of doing so too, after Ukraine announced its withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The two whip up a lavish dip packed with cheese, greens and pickles, which add tang to cut through the indulgent creaminess.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Vinegar is everywhere these days, and not just in pickles and salad dressing.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The movie’s biggest laughs come from Kevin’s hijinks, which involve setting up complex booby traps to fend off a pair of burglars targeting his family’s home.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
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Their 2025-26 season has been littered with injury landmines and other booby traps hidden in the walls of Ball Arena.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Bhatia made it through 47 holes of this signature event until his first bogey when the strengthening wind sent his tee shot well over the green on the par-3 12th.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
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Another method is to use injection-spray bars to create thousands of small holes on a course, using nozzles that force water into the snow.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Catch-22's.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch-22%27s. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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