CATCHING ON (TO) Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

catching on (to)

verb

present participle of catch on (to)

as in realizing

to come to an awareness of she caught on to the fact that they were planning a surprise party

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in knowing

to have a clear idea of he finally caught on to the concept of phototaxis

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catching on (to)

Verb

An adult who arrived at the pool moments later called 911 after realizing Cornelious was under the water, deputies said.

— Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 13 July 2026
So as the picks start coming off the board and realizing there’s a little bit more opportunity to get him, our excitement level climbed.

— Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026

Definition of realizing

Verb

Even worse was Paraguay and Australia, a pair of flawed teams playing to nil-nil in the last group match, knowing a tie sent both through to the knockout stage.

— Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2026
Both Diaz and Rodriguez expressed mixed feelings at the order to leave, knowing there was the possibility of other victims who could be saved.

— Ella Moore July 9, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026

Definition of knowing

Verb

Last year, the Air Force Academy launched a broad investigation after discovering nearly 100 cadets had cheated on a weekly knowledge test.

— Elise Spenner, ABC News, 9 July 2026
Decades after discovering samples of Native American hair within its collection, the American Museum of Natural History plans to add them to the list of items for repatriation to concerned tribes.

— News Desk, Artforum, 8 July 2026

Definition of discovering

Verb

This tactical ideology is what gives Morocco an edge, understanding what works so well in Europe and adapting it to their player pool.

— Chris Evans, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
Those worries make sense, and understanding how bird flu spreads and what to watch for is the best way to protect your flock and yourself.

— Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026

Definition of understanding

Verb

True, nothing so grand as a massive dragon and naval battle took place, but seeing Rhaenyra start to change into someone almost unrecognizable from her younger, more innocent self was compelling in a deeper way.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
Hernandez, 29, a contractor based in Franklin, about 20 miles south of Nashville, undertook the $380 project with furniture from HomeGoods after seeing his pet spend most of her life tucked away in a little corner.

— Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 5 July 2026

Definition of seeing

Verb

In 2023, the Vesuvius Challenge made its first award for deciphering the first letters, and the following year, the project awarded the grand prize of $700,000 for producing the first readable text.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2026
Already, papyrologists are deciphering new texts that indicate other possible authors in the Herculaneum collection, including one of the leaders of the Stoic philosophy school.

— Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 26 June 2026

Definition of deciphering

Verb

Handing the survivor her jewelry and hearing her story a few days later gave Dondi and her team of volunteers a reassuring nudge to push forward with their work.

— Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
During Murdaugh’s first status hearing on Monday, June 29, Judge Debra McCaslin did not rule on the DNA evidence, telling defense attorneys to clarify if the sample was viable.

— Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of hearing

Verb

So there's some history of the British recognizing the value of a good laugh, perhaps especially in politics.

— Scott Simon, NPR, 11 July 2026
The study proposes 12 strategies to strengthen the ecosystem, including expanding funding tools, improving tax incentives, supporting distribution and promotion, and recognizing the operational costs needed to build resilient production companies.

— Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 11 July 2026

Definition of recognizing

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.

Browse Nearby Words

catching one's eye

catching on (to)

catching up

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Style

“Catching on (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catching%20on%20%28to%29. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of catching on (to)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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