Main Entry: catch–22

Pronunciation: \-ˌtwen-tē-ˈtü\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural catch–22's or catch–22s

Usage: often capitalized

Etymology: from Catch-22, paradoxical rule in the novel Catch-22 (1961) by Joseph Heller

Date: 1971

1 : a problematic situation for which the only solution is denied by a circumstance inherent in the problem or by a rule <the show-business catch–22—no work unless you have an agent, no agent unless you've worked — Mary Murphy>; also : the circumstance or rule that denies a solution
2 a : an illogical, unreasonable, or senseless situation b : a measure or policy whose effect is the opposite of what was intended c : a situation presenting two equally undesirable alternatives
3 : a hidden difficulty or means of entrapment : catch