catch on

verb

caught on; catching on; catches on
Synonyms of catch onnext

intransitive verb

1
: to become aware : learn
also : understand
didn't catch on to what was going on
2
: to become popular
this idea has already caught on

Examples of catch on in a Sentence

she caught on to the fact that they were planning a surprise party he finally caught on to the concept of phototaxis
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The interaction was caught on the officer’s bodycam, Schwartz added. Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026 Leibniz’s notation catches on because his circle of collaborators takes it and runs with it, and their successors — people like Euler and Lagrange and Laplace — develop analysis into a whole discipline in continental Europe over the next century. John Pavlus, Quanta Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026 The leak caught on camera Researchers discovered a visible plume of radioactive material escaping from a ventilation pipe near the reactor compartment, corroborated by elevated radionuclide levels in water samples and plutonium isotope ratios. Munis Raza, Interesting Engineering, 24 Mar. 2026 Investigators say a vehicle caught on fire, resulting in several law enforcement officers being treated for smoke inhalation. Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for catch on

Word History

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of catch on was in 1882

Cite this Entry

“Catch on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catch%20on. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

catch on

verb
1
: to realize something
they had been teasing me, and I never caught on
2
: to become popular
will the new style catch on

More from Merriam-Webster on catch on

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster